Making things better: Introduction

For those who do not have the freedom and opportunity to live full and flourishing lives, humanists believe support can only come from other human beings and not from some external source. Responsibility therefore lies with us alone to improve things, to make the world a better place for us all to live in. Humanist organisations will typically focus their attention on campaigns relevant to freedom of thought and belief, and to ethical issues where the humanist voice can make a real difference. However, individual humanists campaign and work for a wide variety of other causes aimed at improving human wellbeing and flourishing. This week we’ll learn about what other causes and goals humanists might devote their time and attention to.

We’ll ask: How has humanism contributed to the historical improvement of the human condition? What challenges and threats does humanity still face, and how are some humanists trying to tackle those challenges? Are humanists too utopian? Is ours an unrealistic quest for a perfect world? To help you explore these questions, this week we’ll meet the humanists working for what they believe, will be a better world. While many will share the same goals and motivations we’ll discover some of the different means they employ to achieve those goals. Through charity, through politics and through education. Hopefully by the end of the week you’ll have developed a better understanding of the humanist hopes for a better future.