Zachary Robinson, CEO of the Centre for Effective Altruism, challenges the common belief that effective altruism is devoid of feelings. He emphasizes that personal emotions, like anger and sadness, drive individuals to take impactful action. Through relatable stories, he illustrates how frustrations can spark community initiatives—like addressing potholes in Omaha. Robinson argues that rational analysis and compassion should coexist, portraying analytical tools as manifestations of deep emotional commitment to alleviating suffering.
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EA Driven by Emotions and Action
Effective altruism (EA) is driven by emotions like anger, sadness, and fear motivating action, not lack of feeling.
EA members act decisively and thoughtfully to turn feelings into impactful actions, such as mobilizing emergency funds or pioneering AI safety research.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Father Filling Potholes Example
Zachary Robinson shares how his father personally filled potholes in Omaha due to government neglect.
This story illustrates personal compassionate action to fix local problems directly rather than ignoring them.
insights INSIGHT
Acting on Feelings, Not Ignoring
Many feel deeply about problems like aid cuts and AI risks but only a fraction take action.
EA members distinguish themselves by staying with their feelings and choosing to act rather than looking away.
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In this book, Toby Ord argues that humanity is in a uniquely dangerous period, which he terms 'the Precipice,' beginning with the first atomic bomb test in 1945. Ord examines various existential risks, including natural and anthropogenic threats, and estimates that there is a one in six chance of humanity suffering an existential catastrophe within the next 100 years. He advocates for a major reorientation in how we see the world and our role in it, emphasizing the need for collective action to minimize these risks and ensure a safe future for humanity. The book integrates insights from multiple disciplines, including physics, biology, earth science, computer science, history, anthropology, statistics, international relations, and moral philosophy[1][3][5].
Animal liberation
Peter Singer
First published in 1975, 'Animal Liberation' by Peter Singer has been a pivotal book in the animal rights movement. It introduces the concept of 'speciesism,' the systematic neglect and exploitation of nonhuman animals. Singer argues that the interests of all beings capable of suffering should be given equal consideration, regardless of their species. The book critiques factory farming and animal experimentation, presenting alternatives and advocating for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. The revised edition, 'Animal Liberation Now,' updates the arguments to reflect current issues, including environmental impacts and the spread of viruses from factory farms[1][3][5].
This is a transcript of my opening talk at EA Global: London 2025. In my talk, I challenge the misconception that EA is populated by “cold, uncaring, spreadsheet-obsessed robots” and explain how EA principles serve as tools for putting compassion into practice, translating our feelings about the world's problems into effective action.
Key points:
Most people involved in EA are here because of their feelings, not despite them. Many of us are driven by emotions like anger about neglected global health needs, sadness about animal suffering, or fear about AI risks. What distinguishes us as a community isn't that we don't feel; it's that we don't stop at feeling — we act. Two examples:
When USAID cuts threatened critical health programs, GiveWell mobilized $24 million in emergency funding within weeks.
People from the EA ecosystem spotted AI risks years ahead of the mainstream and pioneered funding for the field [...]
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