Catherine

“I was a science teacher. I studied physics and did my PhD so I was heading in that direction to be a scientist, then I realised I didn’t like the solitary work.

After a while of teaching I recognised that science education was not doing what I really thought it could do for our society.  Lots of people are not scientifically literate, or understand key issues in our world. So I was googling lots of things and finding Facebook groups related to science and skepticism and making the world a better place; and I discovered the effective altruism movement.

It’s about taking a scientific approach to doing good; specifically, doing the most good that we can with the resources that we have. It turns out that some ways of doing good have far more positive impact than others, so if more people think carefully and do a lot of research before they leap into their path, then we could tackle some of these immense problems in the world. 

We’ve got a lot of power to change the systems here in NZ, far more than just about anywhere else in the rest of the world.  So if it’s a local issue I will campaign and talk to my MP. And if it’s international, I donate to the most cost-effective charities that tackle those issues. I think most people could be really transforming  lives with a little bit of money if they choose their charity wisely.

When I started learning about this, it changed my relationship to the world. Before I was just a person floating through the world, getting ranty on social media, but not really thinking I could actually make a difference. But then I realised ‘hold on, I’m one of the most privileged people in the world’, you know! I live in this amazing country where we have more opportunities than most and I have a job and I don’t have any health problems.  When I was a teacher I worked out I had 38 times the income of the average person in the world… 38 times! So that really bought home how much power I have to do good. And if it isn’t me, then who else is going to do it? 

I really love the Port Hills, they are the stabiliser for me. I feel like sometimes I’m talking to people all over the world and my head is in all these massive issues. And then I go for a scamper up the hills and look over the harbour when I reach the top; I feel more like a normal human instead of this floating brain connected to the internet.”

-Catherine