October 5, 2016

Humanism

By Glenn
Topics:
conservatism
Education
LIberalism

Conservative politicians and pundits understand that they cannot succeed unless they create an “other” separate from humanity. “Mexican rapist.” “Muslim extremist.” “Thug” “Welfare Queen” “Drug Addict”

Hence, conservative politicians and pundits target the Humanities at universities with vicious attacks that de-legitimize these fields of study. Renaissance humanism opened the door to the Modern World. We better learn real history or our children will descend into a period of tribalism and barbarism.

For humanity doesn’t just exist; it has to be created, over and over again. If our violent history shows anything, it is that we are not born with an innate sympathy for, or understanding of, all humankind; and without those, “humanity” is just a word. So humanity has to be built, and the only way to build it is to show young people, already rooted in their own birth culture, that they can move beyond that culture without abandoning it — that what is foreign to that culture can remain foreign and still be worthy of thought and respect.

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