effective altruism

/ɪˈfɛk.tɪv ˈæl.trʊ.ɪ.z(ə)m/

Uncommon

A movement focused on doing the most measurable good per dollar or effort, often using data to prioritize causes.

Once considered a thoughtful rationalist movement. After the FTX collapse and Sam Bankman-Fried scandal, the term took on ironic and critical connotations online. Now sometimes used mockingly to describe people who justify questionable behavior by invoking future good.

Real-world examples4 examples

#	Example	What it means	Source
01	He turned down a 200k job to work at a charity because of effective altruism. Respect honestly.	Someone made a significant financial sacrifice based on EA principles.	reddit, 2023
02	The whole effective altruism thing aged really badly after FTX.	The movement's reputation suffered after the Sam Bankman-Fried scandal.	x, 2023
03	Oh you are not going to tip your server because you are going to donate more to mosquito nets? Very effective altruism of you.	Mocking the use of EA logic to justify behavior that hurts real people in front of you.	reddit, 2024
04	I got into effective altruism in college and honestly it changed how I think about where I spend money.	Someone describing a genuine shift in values driven by EA philosophy.	reddit, 2022

Use it when

Describing the philosophy of maximizing impact with donations or career choices.
Referencing the EA community or movement.
Criticizing someone who uses future-good reasoning to justify present harm.

Do not use it when

You just mean someone donated to a charity.
You mean someone is generally a good person.

Variations and related forms

EA

Abbreviation for effective altruism, used inside the community and in online discussion.