Comments on: Hunger here vs. hunger there http://blog.givewell.org/2009/11/26/hunger-here-vs-hunger-there/ Exploring how to get real change for your dollar. Thu, 17 May 2012 07:29:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Holden http://blog.givewell.org/2009/11/26/hunger-here-vs-hunger-there/#comment-89538 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:49:45 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2009/11/26/hunger-here-vs-hunger-there/#comment-89538 Tzipporah, for many donors, I believe it is more complicated than "rational" or "not rational." For example, I personally would prefer to help people whose lives I can more easily identify with, all else being equal - but looking into these issues, I've become surprised with how unequal all else is. I believe that other groups are better suited than GiveWell to "humanizing, individualizing, and familiarizing the foreign aid recipient" (something I agree has value). We see our role as providing factual context, which isn't the only relevant consideration, but may be enough to change many donors' minds. Tzipporah, for many donors, I believe it is more complicated than “rational” or “not rational.” For example, I personally would prefer to help people whose lives I can more easily identify with, all else being equal - but looking into these issues, I’ve become surprised with how unequal all else is.

I believe that other groups are better suited than GiveWell to “humanizing, individualizing, and familiarizing the foreign aid recipient” (something I agree has value). We see our role as providing factual context, which isn’t the only relevant consideration, but may be enough to change many donors’ minds.

]]> by: Tzipporah http://blog.givewell.org/2009/11/26/hunger-here-vs-hunger-there/#comment-89419 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:17:16 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2009/11/26/hunger-here-vs-hunger-there/#comment-89419 Your post implies that you are surprised Americans would choose to donate locally, where their donations have less of an objective impact. But this is real-world economics - people are not rational, they are not objective. There is a much greater psychological impact of seeing a child who looks like, lives near, and could be friends with your own child "going hungry" (like the ones here in Oregon who get no food on the weekends without their school lunches), than hearing statistics about children who live far away, look different, and have always been portrayed as poor, hungry, and living in terrible conditions. We are acclimatized to seeing African children as starving and diseased. We are shocked to see that among our own communities. Until you can humanize, individualize, and familiarize the foreign aid recipient, you will continue to see this discrepancy. Your post implies that you are surprised Americans would choose to donate locally, where their donations have less of an objective impact.

But this is real-world economics - people are not rational, they are not objective. There is a much greater psychological impact of seeing a child who looks like, lives near, and could be friends with your own child “going hungry” (like the ones here in Oregon who get no food on the weekends without their school lunches), than hearing statistics about children who live far away, look different, and have always been portrayed as poor, hungry, and living in terrible conditions.

We are acclimatized to seeing African children as starving and diseased. We are shocked to see that among our own communities. Until you can humanize, individualize, and familiarize the foreign aid recipient, you will continue to see this discrepancy.

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