“Is Art a Waste of Time?”

The beliefs of the EAs seem more like a cult than an activist group. My father grew up with an alcoholic father that walked out on his family at the age of 10. My grandmother was left to raise 3 boys all on her own and money was not something they could just give away. My father taught me from a very young age “you do not have to give money to give back, you can give your time”. When Southan says that EAs were saying “a baseline donation of 10 percent of your income to effective charities” is recommended I got a sour taste in my mouth. Lots of people work damn hard to get where they are today and if you think giving up some money will instantly help you are dead wrong. There is so much more that one can give besides money to make a difference. Whether the difference is big or small it all matters. When Southan said “the idea is that the only good that counts is what you accomplish over and above what the next person would have done in your place” it pissed me off. You do not have to always do better than everyone but instead as long as you give it all of your effort and leave everything you had to offer then that’s worth it.

One point I also hated was that “Effective Altruists” think art can not help. I have been a Beatles fan my whole entire life and I KNOW that their music made a change. Their lyrics of love, happiness, peace, and change all made differences in peoples’ lives. Art is an inspiration, it lifts the morale of those around it. Music and art inspire people to go out there and give their time to help, not just “give away half your income”. The idea of the EAs does not focus towards the emotional aspect of their mission.