Moral Ambition

I decided to read this book after seeing the author speak on the Daily Show and hearing his Reith Lectures on the BBC. He speaks with clear passion and moral force and so I was intrigued to read the book.

Let me point out the positives first. Bregman is most effective at pointing out the flaws behind modern activism (especially on the left) and the need to look seriously at how movements are built. They require patience and a big tent to bring in people of various talents and persuasions. Raising awareness is not enough. You need to actually have an actionable program you willing to see through. He also highlights the fact that the best and the brightest from top schools all pursue careers that are not creating any meaningful value.

I think the flaw that undermines his approach is that he takes a utilitarian view of action. This leads him to prioritize the greatest good for the greatest number. The "greatest good" in this book seems to involve people dedicating themselves to all-consuming project in the developing world. This bias puts him into a tricky position as talks about effective altruism. He has many critiques for EA 1.0. He points out that they are too into numbers, that they are too dedicated to working within the system rather than changing it, and that they attract a certain savior-type person prone to corruption. But, given the aim of his book, he cant help but admire the moral ambition of EA's. It is a myopic view of utilitarianism that ultimately makes the book much less effective.

I would also be remiss if I did not point out that his chapter on a Charity incubator in London is excruciatingly bad and carries a Harry Potter / Hogwarts metaphor far farther than any millennial author should be expected to take it.

I think this is the kind of book to read, take from it what you will, and then move on. It could have been a TED talk or an essay.

#Books #Bookstodon #Philosophy #Philanthropy #Charity #Activism #EffectiveAltruism.