Michael Plant
@michaeldplant.bsky.social
Moral philosopher and happiness nerd. Founder and Director, Happier Lives Institute. Postdoctoral Fellow, Oxford Unviersity. All views yours, weirdly.
My pitch to Sam Harris on how to do the most good. This is the first time in human history where we've had the tools and data to find the best ways to improve happiness. The latest research reveals the top charities have 1,000x the impact as standard ones.
December 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
My pitch to Sam Harris on how to do the most good. This is the first time in human history where we've had the tools and data to find the best ways to improve happiness. The latest research reveals the top charities have 1,000x the impact as standard ones.
🚨New podcast out 🚨 @spencrgreenberg.bsky.social and I go wonderfully deep on the big issues about doing good and improving wellbeing.
Link: podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/280/...
Summary:
Link: podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/280/...
Summary:
September 18, 2025 at 3:52 PM
🚨New podcast out 🚨 @spencrgreenberg.bsky.social and I go wonderfully deep on the big issues about doing good and improving wellbeing.
Link: podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/280/...
Summary:
Link: podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/280/...
Summary:
Academics: you work on 'happiness'? You can't measure that.
Also academics: oh, did you see we went up the rankings?
Out today: www.theguardian.com/education/ng...
Also academics: oh, did you see we went up the rankings?
Out today: www.theguardian.com/education/ng...
September 13, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Academics: you work on 'happiness'? You can't measure that.
Also academics: oh, did you see we went up the rankings?
Out today: www.theguardian.com/education/ng...
Also academics: oh, did you see we went up the rankings?
Out today: www.theguardian.com/education/ng...
🚨New research🚨I've just had a co-authored paper on moral uncertainty come out in Ergo.
We develop a new 'moral marketplace' theory that can, unlike the alternatives, justify donation splitting - and has some other major theoretical advantages too!
journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
We develop a new 'moral marketplace' theory that can, unlike the alternatives, justify donation splitting - and has some other major theoretical advantages too!
journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
September 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
🚨New research🚨I've just had a co-authored paper on moral uncertainty come out in Ergo.
We develop a new 'moral marketplace' theory that can, unlike the alternatives, justify donation splitting - and has some other major theoretical advantages too!
journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
We develop a new 'moral marketplace' theory that can, unlike the alternatives, justify donation splitting - and has some other major theoretical advantages too!
journals.publishing.umich.edu/ergo/article...
I sometimes dress up. I sometimes go to conferences. Today, I'm doing both for @isqols.bsky.social to promote @happierlives.bsky.social's 'Happiness Factory', a giving game where we give people real money and ask them to choose which charity to give to.
July 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
I sometimes dress up. I sometimes go to conferences. Today, I'm doing both for @isqols.bsky.social to promote @happierlives.bsky.social's 'Happiness Factory', a giving game where we give people real money and ask them to choose which charity to give to.
Apparently that philosopher is me.
Delighted to have done an interview with Inside Philanthropy about how taking happiness seriously can - and should - shake up giving.
Link 👇
Delighted to have done an interview with Inside Philanthropy about how taking happiness seriously can - and should - shake up giving.
Link 👇
May 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Apparently that philosopher is me.
Delighted to have done an interview with Inside Philanthropy about how taking happiness seriously can - and should - shake up giving.
Link 👇
Delighted to have done an interview with Inside Philanthropy about how taking happiness seriously can - and should - shake up giving.
Link 👇
Two months ago, I was so proud that my chapter in the @worldhappiness.report came out.
Why? It's the first global comparison of charities and it provides the strongest evidence yet that best charities are 100x better than the average.
Link👇
Why? It's the first global comparison of charities and it provides the strongest evidence yet that best charities are 100x better than the average.
Link👇
May 21, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Two months ago, I was so proud that my chapter in the @worldhappiness.report came out.
Why? It's the first global comparison of charities and it provides the strongest evidence yet that best charities are 100x better than the average.
Link👇
Why? It's the first global comparison of charities and it provides the strongest evidence yet that best charities are 100x better than the average.
Link👇
This is such zinger. Career advice from @rutgerbregman.com 👏👏👏
May 14, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This is such zinger. Career advice from @rutgerbregman.com 👏👏👏
Just seen this new paper. When Does Charity Effectiveness Matter to Donors? The Role of Ratings and Expectations about Cost-Effectiveness👇
May 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Just seen this new paper. When Does Charity Effectiveness Matter to Donors? The Role of Ratings and Expectations about Cost-Effectiveness👇
In other news, I am apparently a 36-year-old happiness researcher who does interviews. My interview with CNBC 👇
www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/04/...
www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/04/...
May 1, 2025 at 11:42 AM
In other news, I am apparently a 36-year-old happiness researcher who does interviews. My interview with CNBC 👇
www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/04/...
www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/04/...
A closing thought: we can fight back, but we can do so in a way that rejects Trump and what he embodies.
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
A closing thought: we can fight back, but we can do so in a way that rejects Trump and what he embodies.
4. Through global altruism
Here's a link to HLI's report on charites www.happierlivesinstitute.org/world-happin...
Here's a link to HLI's report on charites www.happierlivesinstitute.org/world-happin...
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
4. Through global altruism
Here's a link to HLI's report on charites www.happierlivesinstitute.org/world-happin...
Here's a link to HLI's report on charites www.happierlivesinstitute.org/world-happin...
3. Change the national debate
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
3. Change the national debate
2. Rebuild the local social fabric
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
2. Rebuild the local social fabric
How do we fight back?
1. It begins in the mind
1. It begins in the mind
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
How do we fight back?
1. It begins in the mind
1. It begins in the mind
What do we do? Just doomscroll and rage online? That's not a great option.
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
What do we do? Just doomscroll and rage online? That's not a great option.
Actually, I think Trump is *both* the symptom and cause of declining happiness and trust.
My Guardian Op-ed: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My Guardian Op-ed: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Actually, I think Trump is *both* the symptom and cause of declining happiness and trust.
My Guardian Op-ed: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My Guardian Op-ed: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump has just celebrated 100 days in office as a "revolution in common sense".
I argue in the Guardian he's creating a selfish, miserable world.
I then set out a 4-step plan to fight back. 👇
I argue in the Guardian he's creating a selfish, miserable world.
I then set out a 4-step plan to fight back. 👇
April 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Trump has just celebrated 100 days in office as a "revolution in common sense".
I argue in the Guardian he's creating a selfish, miserable world.
I then set out a 4-step plan to fight back. 👇
I argue in the Guardian he's creating a selfish, miserable world.
I then set out a 4-step plan to fight back. 👇
It gets wilder…
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
April 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
It gets wilder…
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The actual difference?
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than UK charities)
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than UK charities)
April 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The actual difference?
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than UK charities)
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than UK charities)
We asked ~2,000 Americans:
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
April 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
We asked ~2,000 Americans:
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
Think all charities are more or less the same?
Most people do. But they're wrong - the best are far, far better than people expect.
A thread on new research showing the mind-blowing gap between perception and reality 👇
Most people do. But they're wrong - the best are far, far better than people expect.
A thread on new research showing the mind-blowing gap between perception and reality 👇
April 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Think all charities are more or less the same?
Most people do. But they're wrong - the best are far, far better than people expect.
A thread on new research showing the mind-blowing gap between perception and reality 👇
Most people do. But they're wrong - the best are far, far better than people expect.
A thread on new research showing the mind-blowing gap between perception and reality 👇
It gets wilder…
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
April 24, 2025 at 7:26 AM
It gets wilder…
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The best charity was 900x more effective than the least-good we had data for
And then we did some quick calcs for other charities
The best charities were *thousands* of times better
The actual difference?
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than the UK charities)
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than the UK charities)
April 24, 2025 at 7:26 AM
The actual difference?
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than the UK charities)
In our global @worldhappiness.report analysis, we find the best are about 150x the average
(Specifically, the top five charities were x142 more cost-effective than the UK charities)
We @happierlives.bsky.social asked ~2,000 Americans:
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
April 24, 2025 at 7:26 AM
We @happierlives.bsky.social asked ~2,000 Americans:
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x
"How much better is the best charity than an average one?"
The median guess: 3x