New to EA? · start here, not at a lecture
EA in five minutes
Effective altruism asks: with the time and money you'll give anyway, how can you help others as much as possible? Two moves:
- Reason about it. Compare options with evidence, not vibes.
- Act on it. Donate, choose work, or volunteer where it helps most.
That's the whole engine. Everything else — cause areas, pledges, reading lists — is fuel.
Which question is yours?
Self-sort
- “Where should I donate?” → GiveWell's top charities
- “What should I do with my career?” → 80,000 Hours
- “Should I pledge a share of income?” → Giving What We Can
- “Is AI the biggest deal?” → our sister site, MN AI Safety
Where EAs focus
Global health & poverty
Malaria nets, vaccines, cash transfers — the most evidence-backed giving on earth.
Animal welfare
Factory-farmed animals outnumber us enormously; small shifts help billions.
Longtermism & AI safety
Steering advanced AI and reducing catastrophic risks for everyone who comes after us.