Extreme altruism: should you care for strangers at the expense of your family?

[EMJ]

The world is full of needless suffering. How should each of us respond? Should we live as moral a life as possible, even giving away most of our earnings? A new movement argues that we are not doing enough to help those in need
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/s ... -as-family

The organizations mentioned in the article:
Giving what we can
We’re not just another charity. For one thing, we don’t want your money. We’re a global community of people committed to giving part of our income in the most effective way possible.
https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/

&

80,000 hours
You have 80,000 Hours in your career. Choose how you spend that time well, and you can have a hugely positive impact on the world. Choose badly, and you might not make any difference at all outside your own family or organization.
https://80000hours.org/

[vexed87]

The system is rigged, there will always be suffering and inequality. There's no way around it. Nature is cruel, and homo sapiens, whilst most often forget it, are still part of a global ecosystem. Whilst resources are finite, we are all in endless competition with each other and that makes it impossible to work towards curing all ailments simultaneously. Nor is it not possible to make everyone equal as we have likely already exceeded the carrying capacity of the planet. We are only able to survive in the short term thanks to fossil fuels. Any attempts to make everyone equal at this stage would simply ensure that everyone suffers equally further down the road.

Charity always seemed so hypocritical to me and without going into the politics too much, we in the developed nations 'steal' resources from those less well off whilst promising that they can be like us some day, most of us now know full well that isn't possible. Everyone acts to improve their own lot, yet giving small amounts occasionally to charitable causes to appease guilt.

Extreme altruism, IMO, is misguided. In today's world you are fighting an uphill battle because not everyone can have the living standards we have in the developed nations. There's simply not enough resource to go around. I believe if everyone took care of those around them locally and everyone made efforts to live sustainably and challenge discrimination and any 'ugly' behaviours there would be no need for charity as we know it today. Sadly, people are generally afraid to stand up for others for fear of losing what they have themselves.

Altruism is a behaviour which would have made it more likely that small groups of homo sapiens would survive difficult but not unsurmountable problems. After all there is strength in numbers, so if you can help someone in need and prevent them perishing they will ultimately make the group stronger. Altruism works best on a local level, because of the tendency for humans to reciprocation. Today's issues are caused by competition for resources, and unless we learn to live sustainably and within our means, altruistic behaviour in general will be ineffective at attack the route of people's suffering.

Instead, the solution is to attempt to live a low impact and sustainable lifestyle today, once you've fixed your own lot you should then move on to improve your community, and gradually extending outwards. Teach a man to fish and all that. Until we can dedicate resources to progress instead of growth, we are not in a good position to end all suffering. If today's leaders are anything to go on I'm sceptical we will get there any time soon.

[black_son_of_gray]

At least as far as the finances are concerned, I'm generally inclined to:
1) accumulate ERE capital
2) post-ERE/FI, capital will probably continue to grow - even if SWR @ 4%
3) excess capital can be used to set up a fund/trust for perpetual charitable giving (e.g. also at 3-4%)

For those of use who are relatively young or have fast accumulation rates, that allows us to 1) take care of ourselves and our families and 2) take care of others for many decades extending well past our working years (with the possibility of continuing on after we die)

Wouldn't it be a greater total given if a perpetual trust was set up that could last for generations rather than just giving as much as you can at the moment? (honest question, I'm not sure) In any case, more power to those people in the article.

[7Wannabe5]

Extreme altruism, in the form of risking life in the moment in order to save others, has been linked to high levels of testosterone. Transferring financial funds in order to save others, while perhaps seated in a desk chair, seems very divorced from the natural impulse. Perhaps if the process was arranged to be more like a video game?

[Dragline]

That OP article reads more like "extreme naval gazing". Overwrought drama and histrionics about what is ultimately just a personal choice as to allocation of resources. And not even that unusual -- its just in the past, such people might have joined religious orders, taken vows of poverty, etc. And people would have said, "good for him or her" without feeling obligated to do the same.

A more interesting question. Is the Gates Foundation a form of "Extreme Altruism" (however defined) or not?

And if altruism is improper, are Bill and Melinda Gates just morally corrupted idiots for setting it up?

[GandK]

This used to be called "charity."

I suppose that as most people in the US have less contact with their neighbors than ever and so don't personally know anyone in need anymore, and as most people have also stopped attending a church or synagogue that would encourage them to give time/resources to the unfortunates in their community, maybe this "extreme altruism" is the next generation's response to human need and suffering? It sounds extremely sensationalized, though.

[GandK]

That OP article reads more like "extreme naval gazing".

[7Wannabe5]

I do believe proximity has a lot to do with motivation. The last community I lived in was very high on both the income and green-living scale, and anything I might have contributed would have been on the far end of the S-curve. There is needful work to be done everywhere I look or go in my current community. I could spend every hour of every day making things better without even having to think about it. No endless, boring PTO debates about whether or not the kids need a new walking path on the playground here.

[Dragline]

That OP article reads more like "extreme naval gazing".

Whoops! Wrong navel. I blame auto-something. Yeah.