christine

This past year I focussed on fiction which deeply explored the various experiences of women (many involving themes of motherhood, meeting or failing expectations, making sense of the world). It had the unexpected effect of allowing me to explore effective altruism in a new way.

In simply going through one person's exploration of life, it beautifully navigates huge, universal questions about how we weigh joy versus suffering, what it means to bring children into the world, how we're connected to future humans.

This book (imo) ends up being an achingly beautiful tale that creates an emotional foundation for exploring things like longtermism and utilitarianism. It is the sort of fiction we're missing from effective altruism book recs (imo).

The kind that truly seems to have no agenda and won't read the same way for everyone. It doesn't seem to really purport anything, it just explores the human condition, and in doing so, it hits different somehow. It won't connect with everyone, but when it does, it connects deeply

I would recommend this to anyone who feels effective altruism is a cold ideology. Because I think this novel shows how some of the core ideas of EA are deeply rooted in what it means to be human. They are full of compassion and feeling.

I know it's fiction but I would seriously consider cutting off my toe to find out what happens. I don't think the author has any intention of writing a sequel so rip lol