Extreme Altruism (Peter Singer, Project-Syndicate)

More than 40 years ago, in an essay entitled “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” I invited readers to imagine that they are walking past a shallow pond when they see a small child who has fallen in and seems to be drowning. You could easily rescue the child, but your expensive new shoes would be ruined. Would it be wrong to ignore the child and walk on?

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/altruism-and-the-wellbeing-of-strangers-by-peter-singer-2016-03