What is Effective altruism
What were the key arguments made by Singer in the Ted Talk
Mr Singer's main point was that the fact that Effective Altruism incorporates both our heart and our mind makes it so powerful. The heart, since we must feel empathy before doing anything, and the head, because making a logical decision requires one to use his or her head and analyze how effective one's decision will be. To have an impact on the world, you don't have to be a billionaire. With what they have, everybody can make a difference.
He also stated that we must recognize that just as our lives and well-being are important to us, they are also important to all of these individuals.
My view on Effective Altruism
Effective Altruism is an excellent idea in my opinion since it allows individuals all around the world to unite on one common principle, which is morality. At the same time, morality, like cultural values and moral developments, lacks a universal definition. For example, while watching Peter Singer's Ted Talks, he mentioned that in America, it can cost up to $40,000 to train a dog for one blind guy, however, in third-world nations, the same amount of money can benefit thousands of people. For Mr Singer, the option was obvious: effectively you should help thousands rather than one.
This is where we disagree, because effective altruism, in my opinion, should not be about maximizing good actions around the world, but should begin within your own circle. That one person who could be sacrificed could be a neighbour or a friend of yours. As a result, to me, Effective Altruism is first looking after one's own community regardless of how much it would cost before assisting those from other countries.