Effective altruism is this century's biggest idea

Effective altruism, a philosophy that aims to maximize the impact of charitable donations, has grown in popularity over the past few decades, particularly among young people. Its core idea is to use data-driven methods to find the most effective ways to help those in need. The movement has been driven by a community of philanthropists, researchers, and volunteers who work together to identify high-impact interventions and fund them through organizations such as GiveWell and the Against Malaria Foundation. According to a study, the movement has already had a significant impact, with GiveWell's donations having prevented over 150,000 malaria deaths between 2005 and 2018. Effective altruism has also been influenced by the work of philosophers such as Peter Singer, who coined the term in 2013. The movement's focus on data-driven decision-making and cost-effectiveness has led to criticism from some who argue that it dehumanizes philanthropy and makes it less about personal relationships and more about numbers.