We are hearing a great deal recently about effective altruism. We are told that if we see a young child about to drown, we would and should rush over and save the child, even if it spoils our new shoes. So why don’t we care as much about the millions of starving children around the world? We should determine what is the most effective way to help others, and get to work!
But how far must I go to be an effective altruist? Must I drop everything and devote all my energies to relieving world hunger? Must I donate all I have to Oxfam and reduce myself to poverty? If I am a young person, must I choose a career that maximizes humanitarian impact, or is it OK to be the manager of a local grocery? Or perhaps it is enough to make a modest contribution to charity, or to try to make a contribution through the job I have? If an extreme response is not required, what principle guides the level of sacrifice I must make?
Based on a question from a Reuters reporter.
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Ethical Decisions 