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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The most interesting part of the book to me is the ethical argument, I think his reflections on how that ethical argument interacts with the real world are less interesting.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
This book challenges us to think about how we can easily and cheaply alleviate human suffering and even save lives.
We just have to:
- Value the lives and well-being of those living in extreme poverty.
- Part with a small percent of our income, after taking care of our own needs.
- Give to charities that have been proven to be effective.
I recommend this book to everyone. There's a new introduction by Michael Schur, creator of The Good Place, and the audiobook is read by several celebrities.
It's now free on thelifeyoucansave.org.
We just have to:
- Value the lives and well-being of those living in extreme poverty.
- Part with a small percent of our income, after taking care of our own needs.
- Give to charities that have been proven to be effective.
I recommend this book to everyone. There's a new introduction by Michael Schur, creator of The Good Place, and the audiobook is read by several celebrities.
It's now free on thelifeyoucansave.org.
A practical blueprint to the arguments of one of the most influential thinkers since the mid-twentieth century. Without sounding too hyperbolic, this book has the potential to be one of the most impactful works of non-fiction a person ever reads in terms of the societal benefit it can provide. Good thing it’s free as a pdf and audiobook (on Spotify at that).
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
You may shy away from this book thinking it's going to be heavy reading, but it is not terribly long (fewer than 200 pages) and it's very readable. What I can guarantee though is that it will make you think, probably more than you have before, about how much you give to charity and how you choose where to give.
According to the World Bank, 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, defined as having less than US$1.25 a day to live on (an amount that is adjusted to reflect equivalent purchasing power with the US). Yes we have poverty in our own countries, but in almost all cases at least those people have access to safe drinking water, education and emergency medical care. Peter Singer makes the point that extreme global poverty could be all but eliminated if everyone earning more than US$105,000 were to contribute 5% of their income and the extremely wealthy were to contribute at a higher level. Over the course of this very thought provoking book he looks at the excuses that we make to not give more, the ways to identify the organisations who can make a genuine difference in people's lives and the traps that Governments and Aid Organisations can fall into if funds are not used wisely.
The first part of this book is about the ethical arguments for giving. Singer encourages us to distinguish between the things that we need and the things that we simply want. He points out that many simple daily indulgences that we take for granted - buying bottled water, a new pair of shoes, a night out - could instead be channeled towards saving lives. He makes the point that it is easier to ignore poverty when it's not close to home and/or we are not confronted with it, that we can rationalise "the problem is so big, how can my small contribution make any difference" and that we tend to normalise with what we think others around us are giving or doing. These chapters will almost certainly make you think and probably make you feel uncomfortable to a degree. However Singer also makes the point that while we are often resistent to giving more, it usually makes us feel tremendously good when we do so.
The middle section of the book is about finding charities that make a difference. In short, he is a fan of micro finance and other initiatives that encourage communities to become self-sufficient and more productive. He believes that aid must be given to communities who are willing to participate in the solution rather than just receiving. He also talks about charities that address very specific health problems such as restoring sight and repairing fistulas. Of the big aid organisations, Oxfam is the one that he feels put the biggest effort into evaluating their work and ensuring that it is spent effectively. On his website (the same title as the book), he lists several recommended charities but he also gives advice on how to evaluate others.
Singer also talks about international aid given by Governments and the ways that political motivations rather than the desire to make a difference dictate many decisions about how and where money is given. I found this section extremely depressing!
The final section of the book talks about what you can do, how much you could realistically give and what difference we can make.
I found the book very thought provoking. To be honest, I think most people who read a book like this are probably already inclined to give, so for me the biggest take out was more about how to identify charities that really make a difference, although I also feel challenged to do and give more than I do currently.
According to the World Bank, 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, defined as having less than US$1.25 a day to live on (an amount that is adjusted to reflect equivalent purchasing power with the US). Yes we have poverty in our own countries, but in almost all cases at least those people have access to safe drinking water, education and emergency medical care. Peter Singer makes the point that extreme global poverty could be all but eliminated if everyone earning more than US$105,000 were to contribute 5% of their income and the extremely wealthy were to contribute at a higher level. Over the course of this very thought provoking book he looks at the excuses that we make to not give more, the ways to identify the organisations who can make a genuine difference in people's lives and the traps that Governments and Aid Organisations can fall into if funds are not used wisely.
The first part of this book is about the ethical arguments for giving. Singer encourages us to distinguish between the things that we need and the things that we simply want. He points out that many simple daily indulgences that we take for granted - buying bottled water, a new pair of shoes, a night out - could instead be channeled towards saving lives. He makes the point that it is easier to ignore poverty when it's not close to home and/or we are not confronted with it, that we can rationalise "the problem is so big, how can my small contribution make any difference" and that we tend to normalise with what we think others around us are giving or doing. These chapters will almost certainly make you think and probably make you feel uncomfortable to a degree. However Singer also makes the point that while we are often resistent to giving more, it usually makes us feel tremendously good when we do so.
The middle section of the book is about finding charities that make a difference. In short, he is a fan of micro finance and other initiatives that encourage communities to become self-sufficient and more productive. He believes that aid must be given to communities who are willing to participate in the solution rather than just receiving. He also talks about charities that address very specific health problems such as restoring sight and repairing fistulas. Of the big aid organisations, Oxfam is the one that he feels put the biggest effort into evaluating their work and ensuring that it is spent effectively. On his website (the same title as the book), he lists several recommended charities but he also gives advice on how to evaluate others.
Singer also talks about international aid given by Governments and the ways that political motivations rather than the desire to make a difference dictate many decisions about how and where money is given. I found this section extremely depressing!
The final section of the book talks about what you can do, how much you could realistically give and what difference we can make.
I found the book very thought provoking. To be honest, I think most people who read a book like this are probably already inclined to give, so for me the biggest take out was more about how to identify charities that really make a difference, although I also feel challenged to do and give more than I do currently.
You might think there's nothing new to learn from this, but you're most likely wrong. This is a very short book that you can read in no time and I can guarantee it will change your life for the better.
It can be scary to want to do something in order to reduce world suffering and poverty and then be overwhelmed by not knowing where to begin. What's the most effective way to help? How do I know I'm really helping anyone? What charities should I donate to or what causes should I prioritise? How much should I give? Isn't it all futile and irrealistic to think we can ever do something to end world poverty??
I urge everyone to please read this (it is available for free here!) and learn how YOU can save a life and make the world a little better.
It can be scary to want to do something in order to reduce world suffering and poverty and then be overwhelmed by not knowing where to begin. What's the most effective way to help? How do I know I'm really helping anyone? What charities should I donate to or what causes should I prioritise? How much should I give? Isn't it all futile and irrealistic to think we can ever do something to end world poverty??
I urge everyone to please read this (it is available for free here!) and learn how YOU can save a life and make the world a little better.