Humanism, to me, is not just a philosophy or an intellectual movement — it is a way of life. It is how I choose to see the world and respond to it. At its heart, Humanism is about valuing human beings, our capacity to think, to create, to care, and to take responsibility for ourselves and for one another.
I grew up surrounded by religious narratives that placed the answers outside of us, in the hands of a higher power.
Humanism taught me something different: that we have to look inward and around us not upward to find meaning. No god is coming to rescue us, no divine hand will fix our mistakes. It is on us, as human beings, to face challenges together, to show compassion, to learn from our errors, and to make choices that help us grow.
For me, Humanism is deeply grounded in honesty being honest with myself about where I’ve gone wrong, learning from it, and striving to make better choices. It is also about solidarity: recognizing that if we don’t help each other, no one else will.
That sense of shared responsibility, of standing by one another, is what makes Humanism alive and real.
I don’t see Humanism as a rigid set of rules to follow. Rather, it is a mindset one that encourages questioning, curiosity, and courage. It is a reminder that the world is uncertain, and so is our journey, but we can still face it with dignity, compassion, and hope.
This post, titled Humanism, gathers many of the statements I’ve made in my interactions with people who are new to Humanism. These words reflect my standpoint, my lived experience, and my ongoing conversations about what it means to live a humanist life.
