Want to learn the ideas in The Life You Can Save better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of The Life You Can Save by Singer Peter here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of The Life You Can Save

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on The Life You Can Save, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Singer Peter.

1-Page Summary of The Life You Can Save

Overall Summary

The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty, written by Australian philosopher Peter Singer in 2009, asserts that wealthy nations and people have a moral obligation to donate money to over one billion people living in extreme poverty worldwide. The book refutes perceived obstacles for giving and provides practical guidelines for making charitable contributions. Bill Gates has said that it’s “a persuasive and inspiring work that will change the way you think about philanthropy.” A nonprofit organization founded by Singer called The Life You Can Save is dedicated to advancing the ideas laid out in the book.

The book begins by offering readers an ethical dilemma. In your way to work you see a child drowning in a shallow puddle. Do you wade into the water and ruin your clothes to save the child, or do you ignore the child? Singer argues that when he presents this scenario to his students they declare that saving the child is obviously better than not doing so, even if it means ruining one’s shoes and being late for work. This anecdote provides the premise for Singer’s main arguments. First, he contends that extreme poverty and its effects (ex., 27,000 children die per day due to poverty-related causes) are universally bad things. He goes on to say that if we can prevent these terrible consequences—say with donations– then our individual ethics should compel us to make those sacrifices even if it means sacrificing personal luxuries like concert tickets or dinners out.

Singer argues that the wealthy are selfish and should be giving more of their money to charity. He gives examples of individuals who have given a lot of their time and money to help others, like Dr. Paul Farmer, who has dedicated his life to helping those in need. Singer believes that people don’t donate as much as they should because it is uncomfortable for them to see others living in poverty while they live comfortable lives.

Some people think that charities are corrupt or do not make efficient use of peoples’ donations. But, according to the book, this is not always the case and it would be wrong to paint all charities with a broad brush. One way to ensure your donation goes towards a good cause is by doing some research before giving. This can be done by consulting Givewell, which is endorsed by the author. The author also refutes the argument that resources are too limited for us to end world hunger completely because huge amounts of food are wasted in affluent countries every year and non-profit organizations promote economic development and education in struggling regions which have been linked with lower birth rates. He believes that if we solve overpopulation first then there will no longer be any danger of running out of resources

Peter Singer believes that people should give a certain percentage of their income to charity. He establishes this minimum standard, and then encourages people to go above it by giving more than the required amount. He also acknowledges that some people will not be able to give at all, but he still thinks they can make a difference in other ways. In order for someone to become an effective philanthropist, Singer proposes seven steps: (1) visit TheLifeYouCanSave.com and take the “giving pledge”; (2) research charities online; (3) calculate your net income and figure out what one percent is; (4) donate accordingly; (5) encourage others in your social circle to do the same thing; (6) continue past any obstacles you encounter along the way; and finally, feel good about yourself because you are making a difference with your charitable donations!