EA Forum Podcast (All audio)

“In a discouraging world, you can afford to change things” by Julia_Wise🔸


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I wrote this aimed at audiences who aren't already familiar with the idea of effective giving or pledging. Also posted at juliawise.net and Substack.

Takeaways:

  • The world has a lot of appalling problems. Many can’t be addressed very well with money, but some can.
  • On a rich-country income, you almost surely have some income you could dedicate to making the world better in whatever way seems best to you.
  • This is best done not impulsively and sporadically, but deliberately as part of your ongoing budget.
  • Donating a fraction of your income is a pretty great opportunity to make the world more like what you want it to be: with less suffering, more progress, more fairness, or whatever seems best to you.
  • You don’t have to agree with my choice of where to donate! Think it through yourself!
  • My ask to you for the coming year: think seriously about how much you want to give, and where you want to give it. One tool that I recommend is making a pledge (either for a period of time, or ongoing).

The world still has a lot of little match girls

[content: fictional and statistical child death, this section only]

Yesterday [...]

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Outline:

(01:19) The world still has a lot of little match girls

(03:09) You don't have to think global health is the best area

(04:10) You can afford to change things

(04:39) Some places to get started

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First published:

December 29th, 2025

Source:

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/soeiFuembncsr6rx4/in-a-discouraging-world-you-can-afford-to-change-things

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

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EA Forum Podcast (All audio)By EA Forum Team