Part 8: Putting it into Practice
We can't improve the world just by knowing about its problems. At some point, we also have to take action — whether by donating or through our work.
Many people in the EA movement pursue careers in promising cause areas; that's the focus of this sequence. But we recognize that many people aren't in a good position to rethink their career or choose a new field of study, so we've also included resources on personal giving and getting involved in the EA community.
Start reading
<— Part 7: What Might We Be Missing?
Organization Spotlight: 80,000 Hours |
 80,000 Hours provides research and support to help people find careers that effectively tackle the world's most pressing problems (with a focus on recent graduates and young professionals). More about their name: "You have about 80,000 working hours in your career: 40 years x 50 weeks x 40 hours. "If you want to have a positive impact with your life, your choice of career is probably your best opportunity because so much time is at stake. "This means it’s worth thinking hard about how to use this time most effectively. If you can make your career 1% [more impactful], it would in theory be worth spending 800 hours working out how. "We exist to help people work out how they can best use this time to help the world, and take action on that basis." |
Photo credit: Mike Pellinni
We're in the process of translating our favorite resource on giving into a Forum post. We definitely recommend you start there!
That said, we also think these "where are you donating?" posts are a good way to understand the different ways that EA-aligned donors think about giving. There isn't just one "correct" process; the way you give will depend on your time, knowledge, and personal values.
(Whatever your process, consider writing about your donation once you've made it!)