For compassionate and thoughtful interventions against the horrors of suffering in the near and distant future

Vision & Strategy

by Ruth Seleo

The Future Holds Hope for a World Without Suffering

Welcome to the Compassionate Future Initiative. Our work aims to identify and advance bold but thoughtful and compassionate responses to reduce the prevalence and risk of unbearable suffering for all sentient beings. At the same time, we seek to foster greater well-being and sustainable forms of bliss across space and time.

To better understand suffering and well-being we explore the underlying conceptual, biological and psycho-social mechanisms of sentient experiences. We combine this understanding with strategic action and a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach.

Mission:

  • Advocate and mobilise for high-impact interventions aimed at suffering prevention across cause areas and long timelines.
  • Build a thriving community of resourceful, compassionate individuals, with diverse backgrounds, eager to get thoughtful and ambitious projects off the ground, building a better future for all sentient beings.  
  • Foster collaborative networks across adjacent communities, initiatives, and fields to propagate compassionate care and accelerate impact.

Through this website, we share insights into suffering cause areas and promising initiatives for people to get involved. 

We also provide opportunities to connect—both online and in person—by organising and participating in events that support collaboration, networking, and community growth.

Hopefully, together we will be able to apply effective problem-solving methodology and reduce suffering not just in the near but also distant future.

If you want to support this mission and are interested to see and learn more, follow us on LinkedIn, the Effective Altruism Forum, Facebook and Discord. 

 

Further readings on why to care for suffering the most:

On the seriousness of suffering by Brian Tomasik (one of the most influential activist/writers in the broader community) 

The veil of ignorance considerations by John Rawls

On the relevance of sentience and antispecisiem see Effective Altruism Foundation 
or Animal Ethics

The Ethics of Wild Animal Suffering by Ole Martin Moen

General resource page on suffering-focused ethics

 

This page was first published on 04 Mar 2022. Latest significant update was on 23 July 2025.