We can be heroes

Recently the figures for saving the life from people who are suffering from tuberculosis through the DOTS program was around about $250 for saving a life. And on that figure the average person living in the U.K. – so a medium income earner in the U.K. could if they wished with their salary while still living a reasonable life certainly by world standards, could save more than a thousand lives from tuberculosis. 

And so more than 50% of the population of Britain could save actually more than 1,200 lives, which is the number I picked because it is the number of lives Oskar Schindler saved in World War II and is generally thought to be a very heroic person in the time of heroes and villains where there were terrible things going on, but also amazing opportunities for heroism. And it’s very interesting to see that actually most people on the street could achieve that level of benefit for other people 

... 

Why isn’t there a big public discussion about the fact that we all could do as much good as Oskar Schindler and yet we tend not to?

Toby Ord speaking to Owen Barder.