What charitable foundations would you recommend, with the goal of minimizing suffering? fighting malaria does not make sens, because it only prolongs existence https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/LAuQXwnykrMC73CvW/morality-for-the-radical-pessimist I'm basically repeating this topic because I didn't get an answer
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Animal charities. Most suffering in the world happens in farms. See recommendations for where to donate by Animal Charity Evaluators.
To address extreme suffering in humans then consider:
- Mental health charities. See this page the Happier Lives Institute (HLI) recommend Strong Minds. Note there has been a lot of debate on the EA Forum about them. You could also donate to HLI or to other mental health charities like Vida Plena* or Friendship Bench, etc.
- Pain prevention charities. I rate Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering (OPIS) although I don’t know of any independent evaluations. (There is also Lifting The Burden on headaches and some anti-torture charities like Aegis although I have not looked into them so cannot vouch for effectiveness so would do your research.)
- Violence against women charities. See the reports here and here*. The second of those reports highlights good organisations to consider donating to as: Raising Voices, the Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention, and No Means No Worldwide.
Some caveats:
Bednets do also prevent suffering and are very well evidenced so are still an option. See HLI's research on this here.
There are reasons to not be a 100% negative utilitarian. See Toby Ord's essay on this here.
* Indicates where I have been involved in orgs/research. Although honestly I have met folk at most of the orgs listed and so just assume I am bias and do your own research.
Fully endorsed. And I would add that if you don’t mind more speculative, harder to evaluate interventions there are organizations working on risks of future astronomical suffering like the Center for Long-Term Risk, and organizations working on wild animal suffering like Wild Animal Initiative. For more measurable impacts I don’t have much to add to weeatquince’s excellent suggestions.
Most suffering in the world happens in farms.
You state this like it's a fact but it's heavily dependent on how you compare animal and human suffering. I don't think this is a given. Formal attempts to compare animal and human suffering like Rethink Priorities' Animal Welfare Estimates have enormous error bars.
Worthy being cautious in a world where ~10% of the world live on <$2 a day.
"Only prolongs existence"
Preventing malaria stops people from suffering from the sickness, prevents grief from the death of that person (often a child), and boosts economies by decreasing sick days and reducing the burden on health systems
It kills ~350,000 people a year. The fatality rate isn't as important as the total deaths.
I don't have particular charity recommendations, but for preventing human suffering:
- Preventing ppl from being born: contraceptives, abortion rights, educating and distributing abortion pills for easy abortions. And educating girls, as that means less children.
- Viewing life as a right instead of an obligation: Fighting suicide/euthanasia stigma, euthanasia rights, maybe some neater way for DIY euthanasia similar to abortion pills. NOTE: I am definitely AGAINST convincing anyone to end their life. I also think that ppl deserve help for mental suffering, however that help should be optional for them instead of imprisoning in hospital wards etc
Fully endorsed. And I would add that if you don’t mind more speculative, harder to evaluate interventions there are organizations working on risks of future astronomical suffering like the Center for Long-Term Risk, and organizations working on wild animal suffering like Wild Animal Initiative. For more measurable impacts I don’t have much to add to weeatquince’s excellent suggestions.