The Daily: The Life You Can’t Save

March 25, 2022

The big idea: Can altruism be effective during a war?

The Daily strives to reveal a new idea in every episode. Yesterday, we explained why Russia is tactically targeting civilians in Ukraine — and why that suffering is likely to persist. Below, we ask: What can an individual do to help?

Shrapnel from a Russian rocket attack tore into the home of Vladimir Bogdanov, 80, early Thursday in western Kyiv, Ukraine.Ivor Prickett for The New York Times

By Lauren Jackson

Associate Audience Editor, Audio

The suffering is stark. And people around the world are scrambling to help.

More than 25 countries have offered expansive military aid to Ukraine, purchasing and delivering weapons to the country. The United States has approved billions of dollars in assistance for Ukrainian humanitarian relief. Pastries have been baked, lemonade has been sold and cryptocurrency has been transferred. Across the internet, celebrities are raising tens of millions of dollars, while fast-fashion retailers are hawking sweatshirts screen-printed with the Ukrainian flag.

But the suffering in Ukraine isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. It's the tactical, patient, brutal design of President Vladimir Putin of Russia. As Carlotta Gall, a bureau chief for The Times, said on yesterday's show: "One thing I've learned watching Putin is he doesn't care how many people die. He doesn't care how much destruction. In fact, he doesn't mind destroying and then leaving it destroyed."

So with this conflict likely to drag on, and with millions around the world wanting to help, we wanted to call Peter Singer, the philosopher and ethicist best known for his work on "effective altruism." It's the idea that individuals have a moral obligation to consider how to use the resources at their disposal to do the best for the most people. We wanted to ask him: What can an individual do to most effectively alleviate suffering in Ukraine? Mr. Singer's answers below have been lightly edited:

In a war, the situation on the ground changes rapidly, making it difficult to track the allocation of aid. Is effective altruism in the context of war possible?

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I've not seen a clear way in which one can give effectively for Ukraine unless you are living in one of the border nations. So if you're in Poland, Hungary, Romania or Moldova, then you could do things to assist the refugees that are coming. You could take part as a citizen in welcoming those refugees and in trying to help them find places to stay or to get on their feet.

There have been suggestions about donating to Red Cross or Médecins Sans Frontières, which are working in Ukraine for humanitarian purposes. It's hard to know how much good that is doing. Very often we find after the event that, because of the chaos and confusion, the money was not always used so effectively.

In addition to that, you know, there is the fact that there are people in great need elsewhere in the world that have been for a long time and still are. And we have organizations with well proven ways of saving lives or of helping to restore sight to people and helping them to get on their feet economically. And I still think that they are likely to offer better value than donating personally to humanitarian causes in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government has solicited cryptocurrency as a form of direct aid from the international public. What do you make of that?

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I don't have any cryptocurrency. But if I did have a currency, I would not be thinking about giving it to the Ukrainian government at present.

Boris Johnson [the British prime minister] just announced the increase in the amount of military aid. And Biden has given large sums of military aid. That's hundreds of millions of dollars that are being given. Maybe if you're a crypto billionaire, you could make a difference. But I don't think the ordinary individual can really know that what they're giving there is going to do something significant. But you can know that by giving to a whole variety of other groups, like the Against Malaria Foundation, that you're doing good things with your money.

Are there other ways to support Ukraine?

Citizens of democracy can be politically active. I think that's very important. I don't know that just donating money is what you should be thinking of, specifically in the context of Ukraine. You should certainly be thinking about supporting the sanctions and the strong action that the governments are taking and supporting decisions to give military aid to Ukraine and supporting admitting refugees.

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I think there are things that we can be doing politically to indicate support for refugees. But in terms of giving money, maybe that's not the best thing to be doing.

Also, can you do something to help the opposition in Russia? Because really, that would be the best solution if somehow Russians could know the truth. Kelsey Piper mentioned some places where you might be able to help independent media in Russia. You have to admire the bravery of Russians who are now facing years in prison for saying it's a war, it's an invasion, it's not a special military operation.

You've written a lot about the moral and fiscal obligations of individuals in a world of finite resources. But attention is also a finite resource. Are there moral obligations in considering where we direct our attention?

I do think that journalists should try to do more coverage of the neglected issues and the things that are going on all the time, that don't make the headlines. I'd like to see obviously more positive stories about how organizations are effectively helping people in need because I think one of the problems of what is sometimes called "compassion fatigue" is really not knowing where you can do good. I'd like to see more of stories about organizations that are doing things well and, with relatively modest amounts of money, have made a big difference.

LISTEN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PUTIN'S STRATEGY.

Shakh Aivazov/Associated Press

Ukraine Puts Putin's Playbook to the Test

Russia's tactics during the invasion echo a strategy forged during the Chechen wars of the 1990s.

By Sabrina Tavernise, Rob Szypko, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Sydney Harper, Patricia Willens, Lisa Chow, Marion Lozano and Chris Wood

For your weekend playlist

We covered a lot of ground on the show this week, from the war in Ukraine to the rise in Covid-19 cases from the new BA.2 Omicron variant. In case the headlines have been feeling extra heavy lately, we thought we'd share some musical relief. Every Friday on The Playlist, pop critics for The Times weigh in on the week's most notable new songs and videos. Here are a few of their picks this week:

Frya, 'Changes'

Frya, from Zimbabwe, has "a songwriter's gift: how to turn words and sounds into an emotional connection," the critic John Pareles writes. Pareles points out Frya's similarities to Adele in her use of vibrato and "her approach to syncopation and sustain, where she makes her voice build and break."

Kilo Kish featuring Miguel, 'Death Fantasy'

The avant-pop singer Kilo Kish "raps in a breathless staccato" on this song from her new album "American Gurl," the critic Isabelia Herrera says. The song has "lurching drums" and "neon-drenched synths" along with "Miguel's sky-high, looping vocalizations." It creates the effect of "a trance-like spell, conjured to convince you of the promise of starting anew," Isabelia explains.

Kurt Vile, 'Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)'

The Philadelphia-based Kurt Vile has an "ambling, amiable presence" on this song, which is "a gently psychedelic ditty in no particular hurry to get to where it's going," the critic Lindsay Zoladz writes.

CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF OUR CRITICS' PICKS.