Five years ago, moral philosopher Will MacAskill gave a speech at a TED conference.

At TED conferences held around the world, speakers present original, occasionally provocative, theses in minutes.

MacAskill's thesis was that if you want to do good, don't work for a charity.

The message was addressed to the many people who are inspired by the idea of ​​contributing to the betterment of the world.

They ask how they can use their resources, money, time, labor and spirit to improve the situation.

Winand von Petersdorff-Campen

Economic correspondent in Washington.

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MacAskill's reasoning can be condensed as follows: Charitable organizations generally have too little influence.

Those who work there, in turn, have too little influence on the organization.

In addition, working in charitable organizations enriches a person's knowledge less than working in a management consultancy or as an entrepreneur.

And finally, employees in the non-profit sector usually earn too little money to have the financial scope for donations.

Become an entrepreneur, become a politician, become a scientist, or simply become rich is MacAskill's credo.

The Oxford professor is the thought leader of a young movement of dedicated idealistic people who are deeply concerned about how money and intellect can best be used to make the world a better place.

The movement calls itself “Effective Altruism”, which could be translated somewhat imprecisely with effective charity.

Many people are committed to the ideals of the movement and donate what they can spare.

MacAskill himself pledged to donate more than 50 percent of his income to good causes for the rest of his life.

contact to the practice

Within a few years, the movement has gained momentum and influence, including in Silicon Valley.

Tech entrepreneurs are drawn to the promise inherent in the word "effective" to rigorously measure the usefulness and effectiveness of aid.

The charm of philosophy lies in the fact that it has left the academic ivory tower and initiated practical research projects in which scientists try to find out what brings the most benefit: they are looking for the biggest "rum" for the dollar invested and the labor employed.

The movement, which is often shortened to the abbreviation EA, has shaped organizations and foundations.

An important pupil is "80000hours.org".

She wants to help people who want to be useful members of society with "the most important decision in life".

80,000 is the number of hours a person works in their lifetime.

According to the organization, it should not be wasted on irrelevant things.

The main protagonists extend MacAskill's approach and recommend avoiding obvious sectors such as education or health in industrialized countries.

Because many people already come up with it and do their best for it.

The EA movement instead promotes addressing the existential threats to humanity.

Man-made pandemics and rampant artificial intelligence are at the top of the movement's list of dangers.