The Rationales for Giving is a six-article series that delves into the wide-ranging reasons why individuals and organizations should support charities fighting extreme poverty. Building on Peter Singer’s ethical insights from The Life You Can Save, this series explores moral, economic, social, psychological, and other compelling perspectives. Through these diverse viewpoints, we aim to inspire thoughtful and impactful giving, cultivate a culture of global empathy and responsibility, and make the case that addressing global poverty is not just a moral imperative, but also a smart and strategic investment in a better future.
The transition from one year to another is often a time of reflection, gratitude, and resolution. Toward that end, we at The Life You Can Save are revisiting our mission to change the way people think about and donate to charity with a broadened, multi-perspective approach.
In the Rationales for Giving series, we invited some thought leaders we admire to present their motivations to combat extreme poverty.
How can investing in women and girls transform communities? In this article, Mariane Pearl explores the gender equality case for giving, showing how empowering women creates a ripple effect of progress. From education to economic opportunity, her insights reveal why supporting women isn’t just fair—it’s one of the most effective
Daniel shares his philanthropic philosophy, his perspective on individual responsibility, and advice to those starting their giving journeys. Drawing from his personal experience, he challenges us to reconsider our responsibility to others and offers a compelling reminder: Success isn’t just about what we achieve for ourselves—it’s also about taking concrete
In recent years, both ancient wisdom and modern science have affirmed that people and the planet are deeply interdependent; everything depends on everything else. This reality applies especially to how humans engage with each other, across all our similarities and differences.
Research shows that helping others really does seem to be good for us. Generosity brings happiness, reduces stress, and strengthens social bonds—benefits that extend beyond the immediate act of giving, creating lasting positive effects for both the giver and the recipient.
Some may say that we should first help those in need in our own community. But from an ethical perspective, physical closeness is less relevant than the extent of the needs we can alleviate with our resources, which are never unlimited.
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