The Humanist Paradox

Just because I see the whole of you, doesn’t mean I’m blind to the parts of you.

Just because I see the parts of you, doesn’t mean I’m blind to the whole of you.

Last weekend I posted an article on what courage truly means, how society labels people, and how people label themselves. In truth it was part of a mental re-evaluation of some of the social justice groups I participate in. I am finding myself pretty much tired of the judgementalisms and self-righteousness of it all, especially from people using good ideas and good concepts for their own personal convenience. We are so willing to believe what is wrong with the world and with groups, yet we refuse to acknowledge what’s wrong within our own group.

“I want you to break the mold, but just enough to fit in the mold I feel comfortable with.”

“Challenge society and want change, just don’t challenge me.”

“I want to change the world, just as long as it’s everyone else that changes for me.”

“I understand you and can speak for you, so sit down and shut up.”

That seems to be the general messages spouted out by so many people within the social justice circles. Ironically every time I have questioned these attitudes, I have been pretty much raged against en-mass by the very people who “fight for a better world.”

We are all human, and we should respect each other for being human. Yet at the same time, we are all part of different sub groups, and at the same time we are also individuals. That means I need to recognize everything that makes you who you are. You are a sum of every label that can be used to define you, and a result of none of them.

The fact that you would judge someone because of one of their parts, be it your race, gender, sexuality, religion, ideology, job, or any other part of who they are, means  you are a bigot.

The fact that you would dismiss any part of what makes a person, be it their race, gender, sexuality, religion, ideology, job, or any other part of who they are, means you are an asshole.

So at the end, respect a person for being a human being. Just don't dismiss what they go through for the things that make humans different from each other.