Leo Igwe - On Humanism

Video of Leo Igwe - on Humanism - really powerful discussion on why we need to be courageous and willing to take responsibility for our own lives.

Leo Igwe works to end a variety of human rights violations that are rooted in superstition, including witchcraft accusations, anti-gay hate, caste discrimination and ritual killing in Africa. I have corresponded with him for years - this talk - is wonderful. He talks about why Humanism is important for human progress.

If you want to learn more about Humanism as a philosophy:

• Get my Book:  The Handy Humanism Handbook - free with sign up: http://www.jen-hancock.com/handyhumanism/
• Watch my Introduction to Humanism Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96K7v1f9EJk&list=PL926B6F22CBF88997
• Also available on DVD: https://amzn.to/2pY1nmL
• And if you want to learn more about how to live life more simply by applying Humanism to your daily life- get my book: The Humanist Approach to Happiness: https://humanistlearning.com/the-humanist-approach-to-happiness-book/

To learn more about how you can help promote Humanism worldwide - visit: http://iheu.org/

Why is Humanism so Important?

Philosophy isn’t what we think. It’s how we think. It’s the framework within which we do our thinking.

Your thinking, to a certain extent, is constrained by your philosophy. If you want to free your thinking from it’s built in constraints it’s a good idea to consider why you think what you think. In other words, it’s a good idea to reconsider your operating philosophy to ensure that it’s still working well for you.

And this is why I promote Humanism. Humanism is a practical philosophy. Our goal is to do good and to be good so that we can thrive and be happy and hopefully help other people along the way.

It seems simplistic, but this basic framework for how we think has some really nice attributes. For one, it is a philosophy about always needing to improve. We are never finished. That’s a feature of the philosophy, not a defect!

In order to do and be good we have to know what good is and means. And this requires thinking. It requires reality based decision making. It requires compassion – which isn’t easy to apply to other people and it means taking personal responsibility to do- because it is only through doing that we are.

I was asked recently what I think the most important thing Humanism has done for society. My answer is humanistic medicine. Reality based, science backed, compassionate care means we no longer treat things like epilepsy as demonic possession problems. It also means we don't house mentally ill in insane asylums to keep those demon possessed folk away from the rest of us.

Compassion and Science - powerful tools for improving society and for the individuals who inhabit that society. Humanism matters because humans matter.

Epicurus said:

“Let no one be slow to seek wisdom when he is young nor weary in the search of it when he has grown old. For no age is too early or too late for the health of the soul. And to say that the season for studying philosophy has not yet come, or that it is past and gone, is like saying that the season for happiness is not yet or that it is now no more. Therefore, both old and young alike ought to seek wisdom, the former in order that, as age comes over him, he may be young in good things because of the grace of what has been, and the latter in order that, while he is young, he may at the same time be old, because he has no fear of the things which are to come. So we must exercise ourselves in the things which bring happiness, since, if that be present, we have everything, and, if that be absent, all our actions are directed towards attaining it.”

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To learn more about Humanism - consider reading Jen Hancock's Handy Humanism Handbook

Or, if you are ready to do some deep thinking about your thinking habits, consider taking Living Made Simpler - a 6 hour online workshop that will help you better define who you are and how you want to live your life. https://humanistlearning.com/livingmadesimpler1/

Is Giving Really Better Than Receiving?

And if it is, why is it so hard to motivate ourselves to care about others?

For me, there is no doubt that I would rather give than receive. Giving is easier. It feels good and doesn't bruise my ego.  Admitting I need help is really hard to do and I resist it, even when I shouldn't.

I suspect that this aversion to being seen as weak is instinctual. My son has a physical disability that makes it hard for him to do fine motor skill tasks, like zipping up a jacket. As a result, he won’t zip his up, even when it is really cold out. Also, if he is zipped up, he won’t take off his jacket when he is inside and gets warm because his fear that when he needs his jacket again, he won’t be able to put it on properly is so great, he would rather be uncomfortable than admit that he could use some help.

I think another reason why it’s better to give rather than receive has to do with our focus. When we are receiving, our focus is on ourselves. Whenever our focus is on ourselves, we isolate ourselves from others. It is only when we focus outward on others that we are connected to others and that is a hugely important feeling to have for our emotional well-being. We are, after all, social animals.  Giving, especially giving without expectation of reciprocity (which is focusing on our own needs), connects us to others and helps us feel secure as a result. So giving in this way is far superior to receiving.

So, the question is – how can we motivate ourselves to give more, to others we don’t know and how can we be less afraid to admit when we ourselves need help?

I think the answer is to understand that by accepting help, you are allowing others to give. And the more you are willing to accept help, the easier it is to see and understand the benefits of helping others.  I don’t know if there is any research on this, but I know that the more I accept help when I truly need it and am afraid to admit it, the more my sense of gratitude compels me to give to others in need when I can.  It probably has to do with our innate sense of reciprocity and justice. Again, someone should study this dynamic.

The point is, if you are having a hard time motivating yourself to care about others, stop trying to force it.  Instead, focus on admitting to yourself that you are not an island and allow people to help you when you need it. You just may find that whatever  philosophic or emotional hurdle was preventing you from truly reaching out to others in compassion is less of a problem. It’s worth a try anyway.

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.