How Rich Am I?
You might not feel very wealthy when you compare yourself to the world’s super rich. But what about when you compare yourself to the global poor?
This January, pro tennis player and High Impact Athletes founder Marcus Daniell pledged to donate 10% or more of his annual winnings to effective organisations for the rest of his life.
You may think that philanthropy and saving lives through giving is only for professional athletes like Marcus, or celebrities, or the wealthy. You may think that giving 1%, let alone 10%, of your yearly income is out of reach and would negatively impact your standard of living.
But when you take a closer look at what wealth looks like on a global scale, you might be surprised where you fall in the world’s income distribution.
The How Rich Am I? Calculator
Giving What We Can is an effective altruism-inspired organization whose members, like Marcus, pledge to give 10% of their income to evidence-based charities doing the most good. They have created a calculator that helps you visualize where you stand in income distribution compared to not just your compatriots, but the entire human population.
By inputting your country of residence, annual post-tax household income, and the number of adults and children in your household, you can see the percentage of the planet you’re richer than, what that percentage would look like if you pledged to give 10% of your income, and what those donations could fund.
What are you waiting for? Calculate how rich you are compared to the rest of the world. Explore your results, and think about the little to no difference pledging to donate a percentage of your income would have on your standard of living.
Now consider the difference that money could make for the global poor.
Winning the Lottery of Birth
If you’re over the age of 25 and living in a developed country like the United States, Western European countries, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand, you are most likely in the global top 5%, if not richer.
This may surprise you because of the way the media focuses on the very richest celebrities and public figures in our already comparatively richer societies. But our modern day world is highly globalized, and when your money can be instantly transferred to an organization treating parasitic worm infections in sub-Saharan Africa or distributing insecticide-treated bednets in India, there’s no reason to only compare yourself within borders.
Imagine what 1%, 2%, or 10% of your income could achieve if it was donated to the most effective charities. With little to no noticeable impact on your standard of living, a 1-10% pledge will have a life-saving or life-changing impact for those your money goes to. Join Marcus Daniell, alongside pro athletes like Stefanos Tsitsipas and coaches like Daniel Vallverdú, in taking the HIA pledge.
