Is There a New Humanism?
Part of a message from R. Trelles to a member of the New
Humanism Movement (Apr/97).
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VERSION EN ESPAÑOL
For the last months, I have been checking what I could about the New
Humanism trend, and I have exchanged messages with several members of
its movement.
I don't think there are "kinds" of humanism. Neither new, nor secular,
universalist, christian, etc. There are only degrees of
understanding of humanism and, unfortunate but very
common also, people who partially use humanism
to support certain agendas, good, bad, or so-so ones. These people do it
either because they still lack a full understanding of humanism or
because they want to avoid too complex an involvement
(again, for lack of understanding, that would show them humanism is
worth its full knowledge and application!).
Humanism is so solid, complete and grounded on our surrounding reality,
that results very attractive and can't be refuted (except through lies,
distortions, etc). What makes it excellent as a foundation for many
agendas.
I have noticed four basic obstacles to the spreading and full
application of the humanist view of life:
1. As it seems so far we have lacked a clear and complete presentation
of humanism, we have the technical problem of making this
information known, and have to wait for this, as with any new
information, to be absorbed.
2. Many people have been irrationally indoctrinated that "humanism is
bad", and conditioned to block themseves from accessing it. The
demonstration of working humanism in practice breaks
soon or latter those blockings.
3. Unbelivably, it takes time for people to grasp humanism because they
see it "to good and clear to be true". This is an extension of case 1.
4. For a person to take full advantage of humanism he/she has to
get rid of his/her primary animal emotions of hatred and
resentment. Again, an evolutionary process is required. Which
is made harder because many manipulators, some of whom even call
themselves humanists, use and promote hatred and
resentment as an easy means of driving people along!
So if we, truly, understand humanism and, truly, want to spread and
apply it, we have to work against those obstacles.
Following I'll make some reflections about the writing "What Is the
Humanist Movement?" you sent me. I would appreciate if you do the same
with the ones in MHEC's site. (Full original text at the bottom)
> ... in order to galvanize and orient the great changes that are coming...
> A great change is approaching.
Coming from where, and how? Are we expecting another "big bang" or
something? Or are we, childishly, hoping for things to get so bad that
big social convultions and revolutions will occur, that would cleanse
and make things right, and are we working to bring them faster and
bigger! Or that by complaining and exposing "bad people" these will
change?
> Our old ways of thinking are in crisis; they can no longer provide answers
> to today's problems.
All the basic facts of humanism are actually ancient. What is new is
putting them really and completely together and putting
them in an honest and intelligent way to work.
> We believe in human beings, in their possibilities to change themselves and
> in their capacity to transform the world they live in.
Core humanist concepts, no doubts about it!
> We believe that history consists of the accumulating contributions to
> overcoming pain and suffering that pass from generation to generation.
That's too tragic a view.
> All of us have the right to adequate food, health care, education, and
> housing, and the right to build our future. Today it is entirely possible
> to fulfill these basic rights for all, although for this to become a
> reality we will need to change the existing primitive social system.
In basic terms, we don't have rights to anything (such
that if "the rest" don't grant those rights to me, I am a "victim" of
injustice, entitled to fight back, and conquer what I am "entitled" to).
Nobody has to give me anything. I am not entitled to
nothing that I am not capable to generate its equivalent for exchange.
Again, in basic terms, society is nothing but a mutual
convenience association.
Now, as evolved humans, we can do far better than that. We can
educate people into the convenience and
pleasure of, first, help each other to develop and be
highly productive, and then to give back to each one what the
wealth he/she produces is worth. If necessary (as it often is!), we can
group and effectively and soundly make democracy work
to ensure this last.
Then we can even educate people into the
convenience and pleasure of helping people in distress,
and even to warrant a decent minimal survival to absolutely everyone.
But this is only a result of the normal functioning of the normal, fully
productive majority of society, and their education. To start by
pointing to "rights" to these things are clear symptoms of demagogism!
> Every person, every country, all races and cultures have something to
> contribute to the world of the future - Humanists believe that every
> person counts.
Again, core humanist concepts. Everybody has more than something to
contribute.
> "Treat others as you would like to be treated"
I'm afraid most people don't fully know how they could or should be
treated, and can get more confused when asked to treat others with the
treatment they would dream to receive from them. It is better to show
everybody the ample possibilities of mutually beneficial, and enjoyable,
human relations. And to show those relations in practice and to
help people to progressively carry them on.
> the H.M. supports a new model in which the human being is
> the central value - neither the State, Capital, God, nor any other entity
> or institution is placed above the human being
Both the State, Capital, "God" (churches), etc are made of humans. The
State should even be a mere instrument of the society. So they shouldn't
be seen separated from the human beings. It's the humans in them that
should change, with the institutions changing accordingly.
> Instead of helping us develop and evolve, today's established value
> system continues to impose a way of life that is based on egoism and
> "every person for him or herself," which only intensifies the erosion of
> human values and meaning in life.
A bit too tragic, but mainly true. It's the value systems and the
systems.Now, any alternative system must be rooted in the complexities
of the human behavior. Dreaming of angelical societies leads to nowhere
except deception.
> we organize meetings to carry out works of personal
> development that enable us to connect with our inner force, ...
I think we are born all connected. We certainly do need to know and
develop our capabilities.
I don't know the details of those meetings, but I have H.M. published
speeches that include repetitive invocations and pleas to "Guides", for
strength, wisdom, etc.
There is no wisdom like (nor a surer one than) the one that comes from
real human experience, own or learned from other, real, humans. There is
no intellectual strength like the one that comes from the realization of
our real capabilities and from a clear, sound, view of life.
Also, while I was writing these comments, I received the H.M.'s
Electronic Magazine No. 9. It is an extreme signal to see in it
contributions like those from Jorge D'Alesio and Jerome Smith, which
extensibly present future "humanist" societies, all perfect, with no
money and complete abundance for all. Which would be attained by
thousands and millions joining the H.M., and by people, little by
little, starting to give "articles" for free made in their free time.
Nobody with a minimum sense of reality can believe such childish
assertions as attainable nor desirable. Apparently, enough people are
doubtful or even get enthusiastic about them. But something nobody can
be doubtful about is that the H.M. gets 260 dollars each year from each
person it manages to drag with such illusions.
This message resulted stronger than I thought when I started writing it.
But humanity's problems are certainly serious and, as I
am convinced these problems are solvable for sure and
that complete humanism is essential to it, I don't
hesitate to speak clearly about all this. Because I believe in the Human
Being, thus in you friend ... , who sooner or latter will understand
all this.
- - - - - - - - -
(Full original document follows)
What Is the Humanist Movement?
Definition
We are people from many different countries and cultures who are coming
together to organize, grow, and gain strength in order to galvanize and
orient the great changes that are coming so that they go in the direction
of a truly human society.
Origins
The Humanist Movement was founded in the late '60s by Mario Rodiguez
Cobos, better known as Silo, a thinker and author from Latin America
whose works have given rise to New Humanism. Since its founding the H.M.
has expanded to more than 75 countries on five continents.
Our Situation Today
A great change is approaching. Our old ways of thinking are in crisis;
they can no longer provide answers to today's problems. Human beings
have grown, and now feel stifled by today's social system that severely
deprives them of freedom. Increasingly, human beings are mistreated in
their work, cheated by the economic system, and lied to by politicians.
They feel a painful lack of communication with themselves and their
families.
The Core Ideas of New Humanism
We believe in human beings, in their possibilities to change themselves
and in their capacity to transform the world they live in.
We believe that history consists of the accumulating contributions to
overcoming pain and suffering that pass from generation to generation.
All of us have the right to adequate food, health care, education, and
housing, and the right to build our future. Today it is entirely possible
to fulfill these basic rights for all, although for this to become a
reality we will need to change the existing primitive social system.
Every person, every country, all races and cultures have something to
contribute to the world of the future - Humanists believe that every
person counts.
All discrimination and violence are repugnant to us. Our methodology for
transforming the world and ourselves is active non-violence.
We invite others to participate with us in the moral principle that says:
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Overall Objectives
The Humanist Movement works for an overall change in society, which is
possible only by transforming the power structures of the present system
(the legal system and values that rule our social organization). To make
this a reality, the H.M. supports a new model in which the human being
is the central value - neither the State, Capital, God, nor any other
entity or institution is placed above the human being.
In addition, the H.M. aspires for human beings to surpass their personal
suffering, and to discover or strengthen the meaning of their lives. In
other words, we aim to transform today's established system of values.
Instead of helping us develop and evolve, today's established value
system continues to impose a way of life that is based on egoism and
"every person for him or herself," which only intensifies the erosion of
human values and meaning in life.
We aspire, then, to carry out social change and personal development
simultaneously.
How We Are Organized
As Humanists we organize meetings to carry out works of personal
development that enable us to connect with our inner force, to
communicate with each other, and to strengthen our faith and meaning
in life. These meetings take place each week in people's homes, our
humanist centers, or where we study or work.
We also develop tools for social action: neighborhood centers and
newspapers, local radio and TV stations, as well as publishing houses,
Centers of Communication, Humanist Clubs of all kinds, Multi-Cultural
Centers, and the Humanist Party, our instrument of political
expression.
The structure of the H.M. today consists of some 20,000 members. It is
organized simply, with orientors, who start new groups and launch
tools for action; administratives, who ensure that information
circulates effectively and reaches everyone who participates in the
H.M.; and support members, who assist other members in gaining
personal strength and development. The structure of the H.M. is
organized so that each person orients that part of the whole which he
or she has built.
Members of the structure make three commitments: to participate in the
weekly meetings of personal work; to make a twice-yearly contribution
of $130 to finance the worldwide activities of the structure; and to
take on the task of giving orientation in life to all those who need it.
Proposal
Our central activity now is to make our organization grow both in
numbers and capacity for action. We are carrying out an important
campaign to structure several hundred thousand people worldwide who
will give life to neighborhood, political, and institutional
activities to change society, and help to spread the word about this
movement. These are people who feel ready to make personal and social
changes that will initiate a new stage in human history.
(Anyone interested can visit www.humanism.org)
MHEC's home page