Discard narrow judgements for the greater good to embrace humanity that unites us all
Updated On – 11:46 PM, Fri – 10 November 23
We grow up on a steady diet of instructions. We are told to do certain things and not do some other things, and deem certain people and things ‘good’ and others ‘bad’. With time, this didactic approach to life wears itself out as the categories of good and bad become increasingly destabilised. An instructive morality becomes obsolete in the face of the profundity of the human experience. We cannot judge enough and assume moral authority over a universe where we are mere inhabitants with limited knowledge and subject to the same scrutiny. In time, we realise that we cannot attain a better world through moral aspirations but through an engagement with humanity itself.
Engaging with Humanity
This engagement with humanity is absolutely necessary for forging a better society, something we have often lost sight of while adopting a purely moralistic and punitive approach towards things we judge to be “inappropriate”. Real human interaction can take place only when we have purged our minds of imposed templates of propriety. It is this interaction which carries the most possibilities for change, for transformation which can reinvigorate our togetherness and change people and circumstances for the better. Morality often stems from societal norms, providing a framework for separating right from wrong and dictating our conduct through established principles. Humanity, on the other hand, exhorts us to practise a broader understanding of the nuances of human behaviour and the unquantifiable value of human life. This approach is not culture or society-specific but prioritises the dignity of people over rigid rules and standards of behaviour.
Stringent Morality
The problem with a stringent morality which believes in modes of reward and punishment is multifold. To begin with, morality is not universal and varies from one culture to the other and sometimes from one group of individuals to the other in the same cultural group. For example, shaking hands with people firmly in some cultures is seen as a sign of warmth and confidence, and in other cultures, a sign of hostility. Therefore, we cannot use a culturally specific way of life to judge people universally. Moreover, since notions of good and bad keep on changing with time, certain ways of perceiving can become outdated doctrines of morality, no longer practically applicable to new ways of life. When we want to locate the “human” and not the “moral” always, these distinctions and shades of meaning become illuminated. The other problem is that punitive morality focuses on repressing a problem and not solving it. Therefore, ‘solutions’ under this approach are mostly misdirected and dehumanising because instead of acknowledging the humanity behind an ‘improper’ action, it penalizes it. This applies to the most basic of things which are judged and punished. A 2014 article in Psychology Today by Sheila Kohler, elaborates on the phenomenon of stealing to this effect, noting how when people face difficulty, they are compelled by circumstances to steal to survive. She refers to the celebrated thinker Socrates in this regard who propounded that nobody deliberately commits evil acts as per circumstances, what is bad is turned into good in the mind of the subjects, justified by the direness of their predicament. As the aforementioned source indicates, the problem of stealing is caused by the problem of socioeconomic and distributive inequality, or dire circumstances which turn people into thieves. However, a morality which is all about punishment and not reform will not fix the system which created the criminal in the first place but decry and punish the individual, perpetuating the systemic problem of economic injustice in this case. Needless to say, this takes us nowhere in our quest for a better society. Morality, therefore, certainly can be “moral” but not necessarily ethical when human experience cannot be reduced to mere templates.
Shared Humanity
Our shared experiences and continuous interconnectedness are highlighted by the emphasis on humanity. This emphasis promotes a sense of community and unity by acknowledging the value of empathy and understanding with others. Accepting our shared humanity can encourage tolerance, acceptance and peaceful coexistence in today’s globalised world where various cultures and beliefs collide. In the face of issues like poverty, climate change and healthcare crises, our interconnectedness is clear.
As the Covid-19 pandemic exemplified, human beings, notwithstanding the communities they come from, can be pushed to precarity. Therefore, recognising our shared obligation to one another and stepping outside of our strict moral restrictions to work together to solve these urgent problems are both parts of choosing humanity.
Most importantly, when we rise above moral strictures and standards and look at people’s lives empathetically with an awareness of sociocultural differences, it becomes increasingly easy to talk to each other and solve bigger problems. This must begin from the foundational acknowledgement that despite the divides that separate us and the differences that we exhibit, we share the same human concerns that motivate us to lead our lives.
Prioritising humanity over morality can also encourage emotional intelligence and personal development. People can gain a deeper comprehension of the complexity of human experiences by embracing empathy and compassion. By removing barriers to prejudice and discrimination, this understanding can result in more meaningful and sincere connections with others. In essence, choosing humanity promotes a society that values people for their distinctive viewpoints and contributions and is more accepting and inclusive.
This is not to say that morality is not necessary to guide society, but that morality should be flexible, evolving, more accommodating and less repressive, democratically allowing individuals to participate in the making of meanings. The argument is to rise above the narrow and the parochial and move towards the universal, to embrace the humanity that unites us all.
To paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr’s words, an individual does not experience living until he rises above the narrowness of his own concerns to the broader issues which affect all of humankind. It is our time to let limiting moralities no longer lead us and embark on a journey that uplifts us all through a focus on the humanity that fuels all our lives.
