Effective altruism is a philosophy and movement that aims to use reason and evidence to find the most effective way to help others. Essentially, it is a network of people determined to identify the world’s most pressing problems, evaluate the most effective methods of addressing them, and act on that evidence. Global health and poverty reduction, animal welfare and long-term risks to humanity, such as pandemics and rapid AI development, are some of the central issues being tackled by the effective altruism community.
The movement has garnered some criticism for its utilitarian ideas of goodness, as many effective altruists focus on the bigger picture and prioritise hypothetical future problems over current issues. But whatever you may think of our altruistic potential, the idea of helping others most effectively is a productive framework for putting kindness into action. Followers of effective altruism have identified three main ways of doing good, and if you want to flex your altruistic muscle, then read on.
1. Donate money
Perhaps the simplest way to give to others is to donate money to a worthy cause. In his book 80,000 Hours: Find A Fulfilling Career that Does Good, Benjamin Todd explores how somebody who works in a job not typically associated with altruism, but donates 10 per cent of their income to charity, can save more lives than the average doctor. One long-standing issue with donating money is that some charities do not use their funds ethically or productively. Giving What We Can is a website set up by effective altruists which researches NGOs to find charities where your donations can do the most good. You can use their wealth calculator to determine how rich you are compared to the rest of the world, and you can take a pledge to donate 10 per cent of your income to a worthy cause each month. Now that’s definitely worth thinking about.
2. Give your time
If you don’t want to or just don’t have the means to donate money to charity, that’s absolutely fine. Another invaluable way to help others is to volunteer your time to a good cause or to work in a job that helps others by tackling important issues. Whether you’re helping a youth group or a coding platform, volunteering has a direct impact on communities and is an extremely rewarding form of altruism that can take as little as 30 minutes out of your week. Research one of the high-priority NGOs on the Giving What We Can website or look for suitable volunteering positions in your local community. If you are skilled in a certain field, you can often have the highest impact by working in a sector that needs people with your specific experience. The community atmosphere when volunteering can also be incredibly inspiring. If you cannot find a volunteering position that attracts you, try starting your own community group or organisation. If you want to give more of your time, work towards a career that either directly or indirectly helps others. The 80,000 Hours Career Guide and jobs board are free to access, and offer ideas for careers with a huge social impact in every field, which you may not have considered before.
3. Advocate
The single most effective way of having an impact on society is to exercise your right to vote. Voting for the party that you believe will do the most good for the most people is the easiest and most impactful act of altruism you can perform — and it costs you nothing. Take the time to educate yourself using credible sources on the basic values of each candidate, their party’s policy, and their stance on important issues. Beyond voting in general and local elections, you can practice altruism through advocacy by attending or organising a campaign, protest, or event centred on a cause or issue that inflames your moral radar. Start conversations around important causes with your peers and encourage them to give and to advocate, too.
One of the most effective strategies for building a habit is to surround yourself with a community that practices the habit you are aiming to adopt. So, talk to others in person or online, and start learning about the social impact of embracing altruism as a habit that prioritises kindness.
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