How can we best help others?

Most people believe that it is important to help others. Many donate to charity, and some even dedicate their careers to improving others’ lives. However, many don’t realize that some charities and careers have positive impacts that far exceed the average. The effective altruism movement maintains that thoughtfully considering where to invest one’s time and resources is hugely important.

EA encompasses a wide variety of worldviews, and we value productive debate about which causes most deserve priority and how best to work on them. Regardless of our differences, what unites us is a common drive to do good, combined with a commitment to using evidence and reason to constantly strive for the best possible outcome. By searching for causes that are large in scale, neglected, and tractable, we can unlock vast stores of value for all of humanity to share in.

By combining our heads and our hearts, we have the power to do more good than we would ever have thought possible.

If you want to learn more about how to help others effectively, there are lots of ways to get involved in the club!

Ajeya Cotra explains the key ideas and principles of effective altruism and poignantly discusses her motivations for joining the movement. If you have time to watch one video about EA, make it this one!

Will MacAskill, a philosopher at the University of Oxford, gave this 10-minute TED talk about effective altruism in 2019.