Constructing an Ethical Framework: Embracing Humanism for a Simpler Life

 In our quest for personal growth and fulfillment, we often find ourselves seeking an ethical framework to guide our decisions and actions. The journey towards constructing such a framework can be challenging, but fear not, for there is a philosophy that resonates with countless individuals around the world—Humanism.

In this blog post, we will explore the principles of Humanism as a powerful ethical foundation and introduce you to an online course called "Living Made Simpler," which offers invaluable guidance in aligning your life with Humanistic values.

Understanding the Search for an Ethical Framework:

Many people embark on a search for an ethical framework to navigate the complexities of life. We yearn for a set of principles that can guide us through moral dilemmas, personal growth, and meaningful relationships. While various options exist, one philosophy has emerged as a beacon of hope for those seeking a comprehensive ethical worldview—Humanism.

The Essence of Humanism:

At its core, Humanism is the applied study of what it means to be a good human being. It places value on human reason, ethics, and compassion, emphasizing the potential for growth and flourishing in each individual. Humanism seeks to cultivate a worldview that embraces compassion, critical thinking, responsibility in service of human flourishing. It promotes the idea that humans have the capacity to create meaning and purpose in life by embracing reason and acting with kindness and fairness towards others.

Why Humanism Resonates:

Humanism resonates with individuals from diverse backgrounds because it offers a framework that celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of all people. It encourages us to prioritize empathy, social justice, and the pursuit of knowledge, aligning our actions with values that promote human welfare and the betterment of society. By embracing Humanism, we can find clarity and direction in our ethical decision-making processes.

Introducing "Living Made Simpler" Online Course:

To help you navigate the path towards constructing an ethical framework rooted in Humanism, I've created the "Living Made Simpler" online course. This comprehensive course, offered by Humanist Learning Systems, provides practical tools and insights to apply Humanistic principles to your everyday life.

It was originally created as a 6 week program. it is comprised of 6 video lessons. and covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Understanding the foundations of Humanism and its ethical implications.
• Developing critical thinking skills to navigate ethical dilemmas effectively.
• Cultivating empathy and compassion in personal relationships and interactions.
• Applying Humanistic principles to social justice and ethical activism.
• Creating a life that aligns with your values and promotes personal growth and fulfillment.

"Living Made Simpler" offers a transformative learning experience. Whether you are new to Humanism or seeking to deepen your understanding of its ethical framework, this course provides invaluable guidance and practical tools to incorporate Humanistic principles into your daily life.

Constructing an ethical framework for yourself is a significant step towards personal growth and leading a more fulfilling life. By embracing Humanism and its principles, you can establish a robust foundation that promotes reason, empathy, and social justice. Through the "Living Made Simpler" online course, you have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of Humanism and apply its ethical framework to every aspect of your life. Take this empowering journey, embrace Humanistic values, and experience the transformative impact it can have on your life and the lives of those around you.

Enroll Now

To enroll in the "Living Made Simpler" course and embark on a journey towards constructing an ethical framework rooted in Humanism, visit the official website:  https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/. 

Being polite helps grease the wheels of civility.

 My father always said, if you want to slide through life, try being polite. 

What can we learn from how the British do it? I came across this graphic. It lays out what they say, what they mean and what people who aren't from Britain hear.

To be honest, I read this list AFTER trying to ask someone questions about a public policy issue and not getting any actual answers and getting frustrated.  It is in moments like this, where you are genuinely trying to have a rational conversation and you find out, nope, the other person is just spouting slogans that they don't understand, that I personally find it most hard to be humanistic towards others.

My desire is to scream - that doesn't make any sense!!!! But, that wouldn't be very polite. Which is why I like this list. It's a very gentle way to help nudge people towards better more rational conversations.  It's also a good way, in some cases, to blow people off without overtly saying, I'm not going to attend to this nonsense anymore, while keeping the door open for future conversation.

Even better, what if we actually mean it positively?   

I think mostly what this list helps me think is that - British politeness in discourse allows people to disagree without being mean about it. That's a valuable life skill to cultivate. 

By the way, I do have a course on a humanistic approach to civility that you might enjoy if you thought this was helpful.  https://humanistlearning.com/a-humanistic-approach-to-civility/

Alterity and Humanism

 Alterity is about: Being Different Together.  Finding joy in our differences helps us be fully human. It's a good humanist practice.

This word came up in a discussion I had with Oscar Buloang from Ateno University in Manila for the International Humanistic Management Association. Information and video of the discussion here: https://www.ignited.global/ihma/blog/teaching-teachers-teach-values-embedding-values-business-education-oscar-bulaong

Humanism is a great social equalizer

I have the same dignity and worth as everyone else... and so do you!

My Humanism – for me – eliminates power differentials. 

Using Humanism  I don’t need to be afraid – all humans are – human – we are all equal.  When you internalize that – the idea that some people are higher up or intimidating - just doesn’t happen – they are human. Just like me.

And yes - I do have an online course to teach you - not only what Humanism is - but how to live your Humanist values fully so you can experience the benefits Humanist thought provides in your daily life.

https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/

What's the point of being a Humanist?

As opposed to a nihilist or an absurdist or a detachment-ist – buddhist?

 

I cam across a wonderful essay by an atheist in Columbia. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anotherwhiteatheistincolombia/2020/02/humanist-mucked-up-world/

It's about how hard it sometimes is to live up to our ideas and to work towards positive goals. For me - she really captures the experience of lived Humanism when she says, 

"So, no, this isn’t about optimism, per se. This is more about… recognizing when you are tired, and fed up, and cynical, and hurt, and wounded, and angry–all conditions in which it seems reasonable just to stop bothering–and then to make a concerted effort to keep bothering anyway."

Being a Humanist - is bothering anyway. Mucking along and doing the best you can to be good and to do good. Despite it all.

Does this approach make life easier?  Actually - yes I think it does.  I even created an online course to help people figure out how to keep bothering anyway.
https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/

Love Yourself and Love Others

What is the thing that makes you unique? Me? My grandmother told me I was put on this earth to love people. And that's what I've been doing every since.  Every day - I try to love myself. Love my family. Love others. That's what my business is about too. Teaching people how to deal with difficult situations with love in their heart. Learn more at https://humanistlearning.com

THIS is what being a Humanist means to me. It means  - practicing love. 

Practicing Humanism When You Are Angry

Being a good person is sometimes very hard. Especially when mad. The point of morality though, is to do the right thing, even when under stress.

This is why I describe Humanism as a practice. Yes. It’s a philosophy. But it’s also a moral framework through which I make decisions. This framework is only useful – if I actually use it.

Most of the time, that is easy. But sometimes it isn’t. Like when I get mad. It’s very hard to see the humanity in people who scare me and make me mad. Because let’s be clear – we get mad when we get scared.

Knowing this about myself and about everyone really, helps me to step back from my anger and think about the fear that is driving it so that I can think more rationally and therefore compassionately about the situation I find myself in.

Sure, I could blame the people scaring me. Or … I can remind myself to put my Humanism into practice and practice what I preach.   Sometimes this is easier to do than others.  But it is always eventually doable if I keep reminding myself that I should act in accordance with my values.

Do I do this perfectly? Oh heck no. No one does. This leaves all of us open to being called a hypocrite. And we all are. Every one of us. The next time you go all holier than thou on someone and you are ready to call them a hypocrite. Don’t. Look in the mirror first.  In order to claim the moral high ground, you must first be moral.  And that means, stepping back from your anger, reminding yourself of your values and making a conscious decision to use your values in deciding how best to respond to the situation that is scaring you and making you angry. The goal is to not kill your values with the very hands you use to defend them.  It’s a challenge to be sure, but taking on that challenge is what it means to be a moral person.

To learn more about how to more effectively live by your values – take my course – Living Made Simpler.

https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/

Who do you want to be?

A better question is: what sort of person do you want to be?

We all have a self image. We see ourselves as a certain sort of person.  Usually, we are the heros of any story or conflict. We are doing good, or what we think is good. Most of us value compassion, honesty and ethical behavior.

But how many of us really live up to our values in the day to day struggle of living? Do you cut corners?  Are you compassionate with the people in front of you at the supermarket?  Do you cheat on your taxes?  How about telling little white lies to get a discount somewhere?

We all take short cuts in our daily lives.  What I want you to consider is why?  And whether you should continue.

Who do you want to be? Really. What is it you value? Then I want you to ask yourself when confronted with ethical dilemmas, what would the ideal you do in this situation?  Once you know the answer to that question, you know what you should do.

There is nothing stopping you from being a better you except you. So don’t take short cuts. Chose to do the right thing.

If you find you are having trouble changing, consider learning more about the science of how behaviors are changed. It really can help: https://humanistlearning.com/change1/

My favorite Humanist Books

This may come as a shock, but I am not the only Humanist educator out there. Shocking, I know. Here is a list of some of the books about Humanism I think you should read if you are interested in learning more about Humanism.

(You can get more information on these books and other books about Humanism here: https://humanistlearning.com/category/shop/humanism101/?submit=View)

• The Philosophy of Humanism by Corliss Lamont 
• Humanism as the Next Step by  Mary & Lloyd Morain
• Some Reflections on Ethics by Ramendra Nath
• Humanism and Democratic Criticism by Edward Said 
• The Unheard Search for Meaning: Psychotherapy and Humanism by Viktor Frankl -  

Of course – I also recommend my books:

• Jen Hancock’s Handy Humanism Handbook 
• The Humanist Approach to Happiness: Practical Wisdom
• The Humanist Approach to Grief and Grieving - 

Applied Humanism

After you decide what you believe about life the universe and everything, you now have to figure out how best to live your life given what you believe. That’s where Humanism comes in.

It turns out that deciding whether you believe in a god, gods or no gods or some amorphous deity or, that you just refuse to even think about it and make a decision on what you think (the apathetic agnostic option), is the easy part.

Once you know what you believe, you now have to get on with the business of living life, hopefully, in accordance with your beliefs, or in my case, lack of belief.  How do we make decisions?  How do we live life fully? Heck, what do we mean by living life fully?

These are the hard existential questions that aren’t actually answered when you decide how you feel about the god/not god question. Which is why Humanism is so important. Because Humanism helps us to not only find answers to these questions, but the answers are REALLY satisfying and very practical on a day to day basis.

Yeah – it’s not as sexy as a good old god off – but that’s ok.  Because learning how to life your life in a way you can feel good about and that can do good for others, is a lifelong task.  We never stop learning.

So, how can Humanism help you?  Well, you can decide to be a good person. Just because.  You can decide to try and make your impact on others as positive as possible. Again, just because.  To have a positive impact requires you to make good decisions and that requires you to learn how to think well so that you can make good decisions.

Having trouble with interpersonal issues, Humanism can help you there too.  The other person is human, just like you are and they can’t read minds.  This means, you should be compassionate with them and stop assuming that just because they weren’t acting in a way you think is perfect doesn’t mean that they are a horrible person incapable of compassion.

Struggling with fears of death?  Yup, Humanism can help with that too.  You are going to die. Stop wasting what little time you have alive worrying about the inevitable and get on with living life to the fullest while you still can. And if you still can’t stop worrying, go seek professional help!  There is a reason why early Humanists were active in psychology.  We realize that living isn’t easy and almost everyone needs help to maximize their potential and to be reasonably happy and satisfied in life. So don’t be afraid to seek out help when you need it. It’s the Humanist way.

How to Be Happy

How to be happy despite it all.

I have written on this a bunch. Basically, for me, as a Humanist, it comes down to these three rules:

• Live life to the fullest
• Love other People
• Leave the World a better place

This has been my motto for life since I was 11.  It has worked for 37 ish years now (and please don’t do the math to find out how old I am!)  My point is that despite setbacks, losses and tragedy, I feel like I am doing pretty well and I am, for the most part, happy.

When I share this motto with Humanist during talks, they are amazed that I wrote a code of conduct for myself that so well expresses the Humanist approach at such a young age.  It really does encompass a Humanist prescription to life a happy life. 

• Be engaged with life – the good and the bad.
• Be compassionate, and
• Be responsible.

Now, I know what you are thinking. But Jen – where is the critical thinking and the rationality? That’s important to Humanists too! And it is. Because it is through rationality that we figure out what is good so that we can actually leave the world a better place. But notice, it my formulation – rationality and critical thinking are tools to accomplish my goal of living life well and fully and leaving the world a better place.  Critical thinking isn't a stand-alone goal. It’s not something that will inherently make me happier. It’s just an effective way to think better about morality and decision making – which impacts my ultimate goals.

When we teach or promote critical thinking – to get people to understand WHY it’s important - we need to explain to them how it helps them to live happier more fulfilling lives. Because that is the goal. Isn’t it?

For more – check out the fabulous Stephen Fry on How to be Happy!  By the British Humanist Association.

In all things moderation

Why moderation helps lead to happiness.

My husband doesn’t do moderation well. He’s one of those people who thinks, if a little is good – a lot must be better. I have to keep reminding him, a little goes a long way.  After all, water is good for you, but if you aren’t careful, you can overdose on it. Not to mention, drown in it.

But here’s another way to think about moderation. When you moderate, you are choosing to balance things. You aren’t going too far in one direction nor too far in another.  You are actively working to get the balance right.

One of the reasons why people choose not to moderate themselves is because it takes work. The act of choosing is the act of thinking. And, thinking well is hard.  It’s much easier to be on autopilot. The problem is that – if you don’t pay attention to where you are going, you could end up someplace you don’t want to be.

People who make the effort to act in moderation, think about what they want so they can choose their actions wisely. And being wise, they actively choose to choose so that they can get the best of both worlds.

For instance, if you choose to moderate the temperature (assuming you have a thermostat and can do that), you can ensure that the temperature is not too hot or too cold. It’s just right.  If you choose to moderate your emotions, you can choose to be both engaged and calm at the same time!

This is why people who are capable of moderation are considered wise. The more you can get the balance right, the better off and the happier you will be. So take the time to think a little. The effort is well worth it.

Living Wisely as Humanists

Do Humanists really know something others don’t?

I don’t think so. It’s more the combination of what we know with how we choose to approach life that seems to work so well.

For instance, almost every self-help coach selling their “wisdom” in the market place is teaching concepts familiar to Humanists.  I am always amused at how often Humanists are quoted by motivational experts for instance  (Helen Keller and Albert Einstein appear to be favorites).

What annoys me is that almost all these experts use the motivational aspects of the Humanist philosophy and ignore the decision making aspects of the philosophy.

Don’t get me wrong, the motivational aspects of Humanism are hugely important. Without proper motivation, we aren’t motivated to do much of anything.  The problem is that these motivational experts don’t teach the rest of the philosophy. It’s not enough to be motivated to do good, if you can’t figure out what a good thing to do is. It’s not enough to take personal responsibility to making your life better, if you have no idea how, exactly to do that.

And that’s the real problem we all face.  The question is not whether we want to lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity. Almost everyone does.  The problem is very few know how exactly to do that.

Which is why Humanists don’t spend a lot of time on motivation, except to remind ourselves to not wait for someone else to solve our problems for us.  Instead, we spend our time figuring out how best to solve our problems using our intellect.  Once we have a good idea of how to solve our problems, the rest is just doing it.

Just do it – is a nice slogan, but it’s probably best if you spend some time thinking about what it is you want to do before you do it. That way, when you do do it, the results are likely to be good.

If you are in the market for self help, don’t limit yourself to feel good woo based options. Seek out Humanist self help so that you can actually learn the critical thinking skills needed to make wise decisions.

(see https://humanistlearning.com) for more information on programs you can benefit from.

6 Reasons to be a Humanist

A list of reasons why being a Humanist is a better choice than other options.

There are many reasons why I choose to live life as a Humanist. There are so many benefits.  Here are some statements about Humanism from different people that will hopefully help you understand what some of the main benefits are.

1. Our methods of being responsible for and taking control of our lives more often leads to increased freedom and happiness than hoping and praying. (Dave Collamer)
2. We Humanists are actively engaged with life and affirm and delight in so many aspects of living. (Tim McGuire)
3. By having no set definition or dogma for what is moral, we are forced to consider the opinions of our fellow humans. And by considering their opinions, hopefully improve upon our own. (me)
4. Humanism is optimistic – it helps us find the courage to confront our problems and solve them instead of giving in to despair. (me)
5. Even in death, we humanists celebrate life. Yes, we mourn and grieve for those we love, but we choose to focus on the miraculous reality of the life that has been lived, (Tim McGuire)
6. Our compassion based ethics help us not only come to better moral conclusions that any alternative morality, it also helps us regulate our emotional response to difficult situations as well – so bonus. (me)

What do you think the benefits are to the Humanist approach to life?