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Losing Our Humanity
Although we are technically animals, there are many attributes that separate us, elevate us above the animal kingdom. We are reasoning creatures; we have the ability to empathize with others; we recognize cruelty when we see it. But over the last several years we have watched one characteristic become resented, even ridiculed and degraded because it doesn’t suit the preferences of others.
We are losing our humanity.
What do I mean by “humanity”? It is our capacity to be compassionate, sympathetic, generous. That means that most of us have degrees of this ability, depending on our personalities, our ability to relate to and care about others.
But it is only a capacity. If we don’t nurture it, it becomes weak and unavailable to us.
The opportunity to practice our humanity shows up every day of our lives. When we relate to a friend who is sick and bring him or her our favorite chicken soup; when we know someone who has lost a job, and we offer encouragement and maybe even suggestions to help the job search along; when we let people move in front of us at the grocery store line because they look beleaguered by crying children; when we simply sit and listen to the sorrows of another. Those are ways we strengthen our “humanity muscles.”
Experiencing our humanity is even more important when we are called to act in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations. When we dislike hospitals but go to visit a friend; when we are frightened by the specter of death of someone but spend time with him; when we attend a memorial service of someone we have lost; those moments are the ones that stretch us, that help us demonstrate our humanity.
Those are the moments that make us most human.
Unfortunately, our humanity is an endangered quality. For many, it isn’t relevant in their lives or is a low priority. Instead, as in the case of many on the Left, it has been replaced by the desire and demonstration of power, at any cost. Humanity, however, demands much more of us than power. In fact, it can only survive when a person is committed to two attributes: compassion and discipline.
Compassion is the emotion that connects us to the world, to our friends and families and neighbors. We can identify with the sufferings and struggles of others. Compassion, in some cases, leads to empathizing, believing that we know, at some level, what another person is going through. Compassion can also be a global experience; whether we are deeply saddened by genocide in Rwanda, the suffering of the North Korean people, or the killing of the Uighurs in China, we can’t ignore that there is misery worldwide.
In spite of the power of compassion, however, we must practice discipline in the way we respond to it. We cannot save the world. We know at many levels, as individuals, that to live productive lives we must measure the resources we spend. Even as Americans, we must weigh the use of our time, our money, even our emotional investment to practice compassion.
But the practice of both discipline and compassion must continually be evaluated. With discipline, we can have difficulty deciding the right amount to demonstrate: what is too little, how much is too much? Compassion has the same consequences: if we invest too much emotionally in any one situation, we deprive ourselves and others in our lives of our engagement.
So, it is the melding of discipline and compassion, tuned to every situation, that allows us to reveal our humanity.
* * * * *
Unless a person has either grown up with these attributes and practiced them, or resolved at some point in his or her life that humanity is crucial to the lives of human beings, the appreciation of humanity will be at risk. You may say that humanity has been endangered since the beginning of time. I agree.
But never to the degree that we are seeing now.
The Left has driven the understanding of humanity from the common square at a level not seen in modern times:
- White children are being told by their schools that they are evil, part of the white supremacist and systemic racist system, and there is no escape.
- Parents are shown contempt by teachers and administrators for trying to protect their children.
- Citizens are being told that they must sacrifice their livelihood and wellbeing to support a radical climate agenda that cannot succeed.
- The government says we must treat illegal aliens with compassion, while they crowd them into inadequate facilities.
- Medical experts continue to spread fear and misinformation in order to intimidate the population with threats of further restrictions.
- Black people continue to be told that they are helpless and incapable of enabling themselves to pursue successful and rewarding lives.
- Our history has been distorted and smeared to propagate the belief that we live under an illegitimate government and we must be punished for our cooperation with it.
When the media, Left and radical legislators publicly united, we had to tolerate vicious insults, name-calling, and banishment; their lying and misinformation became commonplace. Gradually I believe the Left is turning us into less-than human beings. We are animals, not worthy of their consideration. Our ideas are toxic; our needs are irrelevant.
For now, we are being exiled from certain platforms. Eventually, they may decide we need to be removed from society, due to our hateful and destructive goals. We are dangerous. We are inconvenient. We are unnecessary.
* * * * *
I believe the Left is abandoning any façade of their belief in humanity. In spite of their call for compassion, they appear incapable of demonstrating it themselves. What happens when their humanity is relegated to the dust heap?
For the rest of us, we must find a way to maintain our own love of humanity.
In this atmosphere, I’m not sure how to do it. I do know that we must find that caring and compassionate place within ourselves that we can nurture when we are called to do so.
We must demonstrate that we are human beings who refuse to relinquish our commitment to humanity.
Published in Culture
Nurture love of self first. We’re better able to love others when we’ve taken care of ourselves. It’s not selfish, it is discipline. It’s building the kindling for a larger fire.
You bring up an important point, Chris, in terms of the Left, too. I think much of their behavior comes out of a self-hatred, which they don’t recognize and so project on others. It is tragic, for them and for this country. Good to see you!
Agreed, and it is an important point. Want to know what they’re up to? Just see what accusations they’re making of others. It holds true time and time again.
But as far as the other stuff, taking care of yourself first has other benefits as well. When we’re in a good place, it’s easy to see just how desperate the leftists are and how this is their last gasp. It is a dramatic one, to be sure, but with every step they alienate more and more people.
Susan, I’m not opposed to compassion, but I do not agree that compassion is the essence of our “humanity.” There are many relevant values. You do write about one of these later in the post, mentioning discipline.
One thing that you don’t mention is justice. God is both compassionate and just. Justice is sometimes harsh. God’s justice is harsh, to the unrepentant.
I think that the misguided authorities who support or release rioters, for example, are failing to display their humanity. In this example, “humanity” means punishment of wrongdoers, for the protection of the (relatively) innocent.
It may seem counterintuitive but I believe that we will have to have a certain degree of hatred to defeat those who are denying our humanity. It is no longer enough to try and reason with them. They are in another universe and cannot be reached.
Humanity: human sensibilities. Quality of being humane. Civility, courtesy, politeness, good behavior; kindness as shown in friendly acts. Consideration and compassion to relieve distress, kindness, benevolence.
I’m trying to put into perspective what you wrote, and it keeps coming back to a comment I read yesterday in which (I don’t remember the specifics, but) someone’s 90s-year-old mother (I believe) had long-time friends over for a gathering, and the conversation turned to Trump, and when the lady said that she would vote for him again, the guests got up and left without a word, or saying goodbye.
I was struck by this. She was an old lady, friends and much of her family are gone, probably cherishing the time she spends with old friends, and they disparage her and leave her without a word.
This would be hard enough on me, but on a senior? This is outrageous. But it was fine and proper in the eyes of those who did it.
It’s all Trump’s fault, of course. /s
Parent’s have been disowned by their children because of their agreement with Trump, and been blocked from seeing their grandchildren. Many long-term friendships have broken up, seemingly for forever. It’s irrational. It’s psychopathic. It’s heartless.
People’s love has grown cold. I never understood this phrase until now that you mention this. What devil is doing this? Maybe the devil that moved in when they kicked God out.
I would like to suggest a third alternative, @cacrabtree. We can’t reason with them, but our hatred can destroy us and our goals. I’d like to suggest passionate devotion to this country and its citizens. Passion can go a long way towards energizing us, and if we can count on each other, the passion will grow.
Powerful statement, @flicker. Yes, I saw that comment by @nohaaj, commented on it as a lack of humanity right there. I was going to include it in my post, but couldn’t remember where it was made. If anyone remembers the post, I don’t think Nohaaj would mind our copying it here with reference to the original post.
Susan, you’re probably correct. I suppose when it comes to Joy Behar and Joy Reid (how can two such joyless creatures be named “Joy”) I just have to channel my inner Josey Wales: “…then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb mad-dog mean…” With them, I think Josey’s method probably works best…
Works for me! ;-)
Present on Purpose
comment #4
Susan, I think you missed one “losing humanity”. The Scientific Left keeps finding attributes of lower animals that indicate the animals are “semi-human” in their responses. The more you endow lower animals with humanity, the closer we humans are to being just “higher animals”. People on the left have “married” animals, thus attempting to make the animals into a variety of humans, which actually serves to degrade us as humans. Why do I think that God is horrified by the actions of some Leftists?
Thoughtful and wise post, as usual Susan. Much to consider,. By the way, my wife Marie is really good at being compassionate and “human.” Me, not so much.
The meanest thing you can do is not assign any weight to what they say, thereby removing any need for response.
Thanks to @flicker for locating this comment on Jessi Bridges’ post:
@rushbabe49, how did I miss this information?? How awful. You’re right: it makes another important point–whether or not we actually are different from animals. Good grief.
Yet another example of the Left’s fanaticism for redistribution.
And that is simply unbelievable. I predict that, in coming years, books about Trump Derangement Syndrome will dominate the market.
I’m not sure that it’s correct to object to the tactic of ostracism, rather than objecting to the basis for the ostracism.
Personally, I think that it is quite appropriate to ostracize and shun someone who has truly reprehensible views. Examples would include an actual Nazi (a nearly empty set), an actual Communist (a pretty large group in our country), an actual proponent of slavery, or an actual proponent of pedophilia. Or, in my view, a proponent of homosexuality or transgenderism. These are bad ideas.
Ostracizing someone for being a run-of-the-mill Republican is reprehensible, not because shunning is wrong, but because this hypothetical person’s views are pretty reasonable and mainstream.
I actually worry that it has been widespread acceptance of bad views, and an absence of proper ostracism, that has led to the terrible decline in morality in our country.
Would stocks be cruel and unusual?
And isn’t all law just judging others? That sounds very intolerant. (all humorously intended)
Oh, and seriously though, I wasn’t objecting to ostracism. I was objecting to the evils of irrational cruelty.
Chinese philosopher Mencius says that stuff too.
Not that the good people of Ricochet can’t probably find a Bible verse on the subject. The Bible is better than philosophy.
Getting there, I think. My own description of (what I think is the gist of ) what you’re describing is “righteous indignation,” or “righteous anger.” It is a powerful reaction to ill-treatment or injustice, either of myself or which is directed towards others. A sort of rising-up (at worst) to smite the evildoers, or (best case) just set things right. But (if I can manage it, which I can’t always), I try not to give way to hatred of individuals or groups. Contempt, maybe. Pity, perhaps. But not hatred. And whatever ill-intentioned thoughts I occasionally have towards others who’ve done me or someone else wrong, I try not to let those thoughts worm their way into my heart and turn it to stone.
Although, right about now, I’m struggling WRT those miserable, rotten, worthless people who ghosted the 92-year old lady on account of who she supported for President. #15. Contempt? Check. Pity? Check. Hatred? Argh. They’re not worth the effort or amount of time I’d have to spend thinking about them just to work myself into it.
Can’t we list both of them as essential to humanity? That’s Mencius’ way–with other virtues as well.
(The Bible is still more important than philosophy. I bet someone around here can find a Bible verse supporting this.)
Justice mixed with compassion should make hatred unnecessary. Maybe they can’t be reached, but, like Gollum, they deserve pity no less than justice.
(And the Bible is better than Tolkien. Someone can probably find a Bible verse about this!)
You’re a better woman than I if you can be successful in this. I can say I actually hate and wish ill to those who tormented Justices Thomas and Kavanaugh in their hearings. And after more than 30 years there is a former boyfriend that I have dreamed of hurting in some way – not physically – but something that would make him feel wretched. There are some stones in my heart.
It’s just different viewpoints in the same exact paradigm.
Ostracising a Trump supporter because Trump or ostracising a gay person because gay are two sides of the same coin.
imnsho we should be able to value and enjoy people even if we disagree with them about important things.
Didn’t Hillary give them a go-ahead for ostracism etc.? Something along the lines of why should they be polite to people who aren’t in with their agenda and vision? Not to be outdone, expanded on by Maxine Waters telling them to get people thrown out of restaurants, etc.
The cancel stories ring true to me, and I’ve mentioned this before. I had a former friend drive off with last words being “You must just listen to Fox News” (which I hadn’t even discovered at the time) . At that lunch I had just told her I was facing a dr. appointment over something serious and she said she would call me at the end of that week to see what turned up, but unfortunately prior to the moment conversation slid over to politics (by pure accident). She never followed up and that was over 3 years ago. With one exception, which was to attack me on a public forum as a gun nut when I’ve never had one or expressed any gun-related opinion to her (while SHE has a gun herself and practices at a range – but of course only because she is a woman living alone. Because progressives are automatcially the virtuous ones).
Once there was prayer in the public schools. The prayer ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1962, which resulted in banning of all school prayer, went as follows:
“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen.”
I guess you could say that when we jettisoned our dependence on God, we replaced it with dependence on the state, i.e. the devil incarnate.
I disagree Chris – I think the nucleus of this post is to love God first, where all good comes from including putting others before ourselves. Not in an unhealthy way, but our humanity comes from a spiritual place. We are not animals, but made in the image of our Creator. We’ve become a world of selfies, we love our own reflection. How do you teach compassion and empathy and do the opposite?
Read about Marx and Engels – their utopian goals of everyone equal, there is no God so no need for religion – that’s what we’re seeing unfold. Those Marxist ideas – even the leaders of BLM admit they’ve been trained in these methods. If that’s the case, so have others in the radical Left’s movements. This ‘burn down the system, no police’ echoes those tactics.
Yes we are in a dangerous place. This post is a beautiful reminder that no matter what, we are still what God made us, and if we keep our eyes there and look for guidance from Him, we may lose many things, but not our humanity.
“People’s love has grown cold.” That is from Matthew 24 – in fact that whole chapter talks about the days when people will becomes ‘lovers of self’ and lawlessness will increase.