A friend of mine who worked as a social worker in a hospital told me a story that stuck with me. She had a conversation with an in-patient having a very difficult time. It was helpful, but as she was leaving, they told her wistfully 'You get to go home'. She found it hard to hear—it felt like an admonition. It was hard not to feel guilt over indeed getting to leave the facility and try to stop thinking about it, when others didn't have that luxury.

The story really stuck with me. I resonate with the guilt of being in the fortunate position of being able to go back to my comfortable home and chill with my family while so many beings can't escape the horrible situations they're in, or whose very chance at existence depends on our work.

Hearing the story was helpful for dealing with that [...]

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Outline:

(01:30) When morality feels all-consuming

(02:27) Beyond the reach of morality

(03:43) Living it out

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First published:
June 13th, 2025

Source:
https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/g5BgAXd3mPrGggfp9/you-get-to-go-home

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“You get to go home” by Michelle_Hutchinson