Most Americans Aren’t “Efficient” Philanthropists, a Good Thing
Submitted by Steve on September 10, 2015
From William Schambra, in The Washington Post:
Effective altruists seem to believe that the sole purpose of charity is to eliminate human suffering, as efficiently as is possible. But in fact, charity is far more than that: it is the heart and soul of human community, the way that people gather and minister to the emotional, spiritual, and material needs of their neighbors. By ignoring this role, the effective altruist movement threatens the very foundation of compassionate generosity.
According to the tenets of effective altruism, charitable donations should mainly–or only– go to charities that rank highly according to carefully calibrated measures of effectiveness. That means money would go almost exclusively overseas, to regions of the world where the poorest of the poor can be fed, clothed, and housed for mere dollars. Although this “bargain” appeals to some, most Americans find it less than compelling.