I am… not all that EA-oriented. More like “if I had enough money that I no longer had to do anything to support myself, I guess I’ll go do something that I think is fun AND helps people”. If it turns out that is work, then earning to give will probably be something to look at. If it turns out that that is sitting at home all day watching anime and playing games and reading fiction, then that’s what I’d do. (I guess it would be a balance between the two—maybe I’d work on software projects I’d find fun to do when I felt like it—I know I get the itch to build something within a week of vacation)
But I’m not the sort of type to endure personal hardships for others. That sounds mean and it probably is—when I’d work to give I’d basically be in it not to help those people but to hear their stories or to experience a new thing.
Bad example (because westerners going to africa to work is not EA; you’d be better off working in europe and sending the money instead): If I went to Africa to help people there, I wouldn’t be doing it to help those people, I would be doing it because it would be interesting to go on a trip like that and meet people like that and see a village and see that “look, I am helping these people isn’t that great”. And then promptly go back after wintery me has been exposed to the african sun a few times because by gods that is intolerable.
I am more EA-oriented than your average person, but I am not altruistic.
… Then again, some people set the limit of “doing enough” at donating 10% of their income, and if I did that after I became financially independent then you could say that’d be enough already. I don’t know.
I am… not all that EA-oriented. More like “if I had enough money that I no longer had to do anything to support myself, I guess I’ll go do something that I think is fun AND helps people”. If it turns out that is work, then earning to give will probably be something to look at. If it turns out that that is sitting at home all day watching anime and playing games and reading fiction, then that’s what I’d do. (I guess it would be a balance between the two—maybe I’d work on software projects I’d find fun to do when I felt like it—I know I get the itch to build something within a week of vacation)
But I’m not the sort of type to endure personal hardships for others. That sounds mean and it probably is—when I’d work to give I’d basically be in it not to help those people but to hear their stories or to experience a new thing.
Bad example (because westerners going to africa to work is not EA; you’d be better off working in europe and sending the money instead): If I went to Africa to help people there, I wouldn’t be doing it to help those people, I would be doing it because it would be interesting to go on a trip like that and meet people like that and see a village and see that “look, I am helping these people isn’t that great”. And then promptly go back after wintery me has been exposed to the african sun a few times because by gods that is intolerable.
I am more EA-oriented than your average person, but I am not altruistic.
… Then again, some people set the limit of “doing enough” at donating 10% of their income, and if I did that after I became financially independent then you could say that’d be enough already. I don’t know.
Perhaps this is something best for CFAR staff to determine rather than yourself—they have certain standards for scholarships.