Doing Good Better by William MacAskill Summary
Overview of Doing Good Better
In "Doing Good Better," William MacAskill revolutionizes charity through data-driven altruism. This manifesto sparked a global movement, inspiring thousands to rethink their careers and donations. Even skeptics become converts - just ask Simon Eskildsen, who immediately changed his giving after reading the final page.
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Key takeaways
When Good Intentions Go Catastrophically Wrong
Picture thousands of African children exhausted, pushing a merry-go-round in circles-not for fun, but because their village desperately needs water. This was the reality of PlayPumps, a development project that seemed brilliant on paper: kids play, water flows, communities thrive. Celebrities endorsed it. Laura Bush wrote a $16.4 million check. By 2009, nearly 2,000 pumps dotted southern Africa. Then the truth emerged: children grew too tired to play, leaving women to push the heavy equipment themselves. The pumps delivered less water than traditional hand pumps while costing four times more. Most broke down without repair. The American branch quietly shut down, admitting failure. Meanwhile, researchers testing simple deworming programs discovered something remarkable: five cents bought an additional day of school attendance. Ten years later, those dewormed children earned 20% more income. One approach relied on emotional appeal and untested assumptions. The other used rigorous evidence and cost-effectiveness analysis. The difference? Thousands of transformed lives versus wasted millions and broken promises. This pattern repeats across development work: Scared Straight programs aimed to deter juvenile delinquency by exposing at-risk youth to prison conditions, but they actually increased crime rates by 28%. Clothing donations to East Africa have severely impacted local textile industries, potentially causing more long-term harm than good. Good intentions aren't enough-we need evidence, rigorous testing, and honest evaluation of what actually works versus what merely feels good.
Your Extraordinary Power and the Math of Doing Good
Why the Best Charities Are 100 Times Better Than Average
The Neglected Opportunities Hiding in Plain Sight
The Counterfactual Question and Long-Shot Bets Worth Taking
Your Career as Your Greatest Contribution
Moving Beyond Charity Theater to Real Impact
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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