How does one become a BetterHuman?
It's a rare circumstance when we can foresee all the potential fallout of our actions. This ability to see the likelihood for harming oneself, or others, improves as one's intelligence and experience increases, but for the most part, all-knowing wisdom for every possible scenario is beyond most people's reach. In order to assist us with making decisions that can have negative outcomes, it is necessary to abide by 'rules' that are formulated upon historical lessons learned so that we can protect ourselves from repeating the same blind mistakes. BetterHuman.org attempts to leverage the lessons of history and as such we've formulated a diverse list of tenets that endeavor to accomplish the following goals:
Devaluing of the ego/greed instincts in order to liberate us from their shackles
Increasing the value of mutual respect and self-fulfillment
Oppression of tyranny and intentional misinformation, in all forms
The pursuit of truth and altruistic morality
At first glance, it may seem that some of these tenets (below) are unduly oppressive, as equally oppressing as when your parents wouldn't allow you a certain freedom when you were young, but, like your parents, this oppression is with your best interests at heart. For example, as a child you may have wanted to go play by a river, but you were too inexperienced to recognize the risks associated with the river's strong currents and the chance that you might fall in. Despite your begging and pleading, your parents would not allow you to take such a risk. Such is a parent's thankless role.
It's very challenging to sell people on the notion that even into adulthood, they still 'need' to be parented into acceptable behaviors and thought patterns, but the simple fact is that every society does exactly that, and necessarily so. Quite often most people truly don't know what's best for themselves or others, which is why we have the universal concept of 'laws'. The attempt to lawfully coerce people against their less-than-noble or blindly reckless pursuits will of course agitate some egos (the more selfish the person's mindset, the more pronounced this agitation will seem to them), but that is an unavoidable consequence of the 'necessity' of the governing body to sufficiently suppress our intrinsic anarchistic instincts such that we all can enjoy the benefits of a harmonious civilization, without allowing the possibility for the selfish few to ruin it for the rest of us. Laws are the 'adult' version of parenting. Yes, we continue to grow throughout life, but we'll always need guidance from a more experienced sage, and that is the role of the governing body, to keep its children from harm.
The BetterHuman.org tenets attempt to 'mold' a well-adjusted, intelligent, happy, and contributing member of society, instead of letting raw instincts guide their development. These tenets are 'principles', and are not meant to be laws, at least not until such a time that we are capable as a whole of recognizing their value, and have the ability to altruistically enact these tenets as laws, which is most certainly very far off into the future. The tenets in their current incarnation are no more than suggestions for a mindset that could resurrect and protect us from our oblivious willful enslavement to the rigors of religions, indentured servitude, meme-virus propaganda, and the many obsolete pursuits that our primitive instincts can sometimes lead us into. It may not be apparent, but the tentacles of eons-old religious and economic tyranny run very deep into all facets of our lives, and perhaps some of the BetterHuman.org tenets may appear obscure, subjective, or even random at first glance, but with deeper inspection, you'll discover that they reach down very far after those tentacles of tyranny to try to rout them out.
BetterHuman.org believes these tenets address the entire scope of the cure to the mind virus of religion, and other forms of tyranny, and sets the stage for the right to happiness for 'all'. Your first reaction to some tenets may be powerful, but before you consolidate an opinion on the merits of any given tenet, please read the associated body and weblog entries of those that concern you in order to best understand the entire nature of the tenets, and how they contribute to these goals. Philosophy is a very nebulous subject matter, full of assumptions and opinions, so it's worth the extra reading in order to avoid making incorrect presumptions. Also, due to copious feedback, these tenets have evolved considerably since their inception, and some weblog entries may not reflect the current state of the tenets.
Once again, please understand that we are not attempting to oppress religious 'people', we are trying to remove 'religion' as an influence upon our species, and there is a difference; that being we wish to free people from the shackles of religion, not condemn them for it.
Below is a growing list of fundamental tenets that support our philosophies; but first, here are some definitions as they are utilized throughout BetterHuman.org:
A mechanism in the brain that evolved to generate specific desires and associated behaviors that statistically contribute to the persistence of the species (e.g., love, lust, fear, rage, vertigo, ego, etc.)
A philosophy or perspective premised upon the existence of a conscious ethereal entity and/or notions of the supernatural (e.g. afterlife, spirituality, etc.)
(political definition)
To unjustly inhibit a person's actions or desires
(enforcement definition)
To justly inhibit a person's inappropriate actions (via laws) or immoral desires (via education); which is an unavoidable consequence of enforcing the rules of society
Also, please read the glossary from Meme in order to better understand our intended meaning.
� BetterHuman.org
The BetterHuman.org Tenets
Everyone has the right to pursue happiness as they personally define it, but only if this pursuit does not negatively affect anyone, including themselves.
What does this mean? - Simple, yet deceptively complicated and subjective. This tenet imposes the perpetual duty of 'thinking' before you act. Every action has a result and it is your responsibility to do your best to foresee what that result may be and to prevent yourself from taking this action if someone could needlessly be harmed, including yourself (or other living creatures, or the Earth, etc.). This tenet is often cited as contradicting other seemingly oppressive tenets below, but those contradictions are alleviated when one recognizes that the other tenets are altruistically attempting to prevent someone from hurting themselves or others. This tenet is also not meant to prevent one from taking educated/calculated risks to themselves, only ignorant risks. If you are keenly aware of the potential to harm yourself (e.g. sky diving, mountain climbing, etc.), it's your right to choose that path.
What does this accomplish?
It will facilitate..
It will suppress..
Self-fulfillment
Altruistic morality
How to implement? - This tenet is already somewhat exercised in most societies and its inclusion here is to pinpoint exactly how an individual's pursuit of happiness needs to be mitigated. Always be aware of the potential damaging consequences of pursuing your needs. It is desirable that any laws which unjustly inhibit the essence of this tenet (usually laws that only serve to protect economic tyranny, as opposed to moral laws) will have to be pressured to change in order to facilitate the greatest liberty of freedom that is practical. As well, recognize that some personal liberties must be sacrificed in order for this tenet to fulfill its altruistic potential.
Those who agree tend to..
Those who disagree may..
What other's have said..
understand that social harmony requires some personal sacrifices
have empathy and respect for others
believe they are more important than others
want to control others against their wishes
misunderstand this tenet and think it implies too great a sacrifice of personal liberty
believe that choosing a religious path is harmless
The noblest purpose in life is to make yourself happy.
What does this mean? - Sounds selfish doesn't it? Well, it is; but that's acceptable because believe it or not, a great deal of what makes you happy definitely includes making others happy (it's still a selfish act on your part, however). The primary intent of this tenet is create a focal point of a happiness-seeking 'purpose' in your life so that you will dedicate the appropriate personal resources necessary to fulfill yourself, which eventually creates a strong enough foundation of contentment that you can draw upon when assisting others.
How to implement? - Outward nobility comes from inner-strength. Be as generous as you can to others, but be true to yourself first so that you become strong and content, or you will be no good to anybody else. Also, don't live your life solely to benefit another, nor expect someone else to bear the responsibility of making you happy.
take responsibility for their happiness in life
recognize that outward nobility stems from inner-strength, which can only be had after self-fulfillment
have been taught to feel guilt for having selfish needs
blame luck or others for their situation
not understand that altruism and love for your fellow humans is also an intricate part of this tenet
The intelligent placation of the various instinctual demands of your mind will determine the most accurate path for you to achieve personal happiness.
What does this mean? - Each of us is born with a unique balance of instinctual desires. Some have large egos, some have huge libidos, some curious, some social, etc. Only 'you' can peer inside your mind with enough clarity to be able to quantify all of your individual likes and dislikes. Look deep inside at who you really are, take some measurements, and then create your life such that those wants and desires (all of them) can be intelligently placated.
How to implement? - Identify 'all' your instincts (ego, love, greed, hunger, sex drive, altruism, jealousy, anger, etc.) and make a list of what each instinct believes would make them their absolute happiest (e.g. becoming king of the world, killing a opponent, eating a pile of junk food, etc.), then make a list of 'realistic intelligent alternatives' that attempt to placate these instincts (e.g. becoming a leader in your neighborhood, venting rage with exercise, stuffing yourself with healthy food and a small treat, etc.). Then, imagine individual scenarios where each of these instincts might fire up, and the steps you'd have to take to address these needs with your 'alternatives'. Thus, when any of these situations arise in real life, you'll have a premeditated plan to intelligently address them, saving yourself from acting like a primate. The instincts will never know the difference; and when the instincts are happy, you're happy.
understand the role of the instincts and their connection to happiness and well-being
know that purpose is something one has to define for themselves
believe the junkie-like ethereal 'high' they get from their faith is the only happiness possible
have been taught that the only purpose in life is blind servitude to a mythological creature
not understand what an instinct is
We are all equally worthless in the big picture of the universe.
What does this mean? - This tenet generates 'much' fervor. In our societies, we struggle so much with self-affirmation, political-correctness, and fighting prejudice-based oppression, that this tenet seems rather stark in contrast. So why would we choose to take this position? Ego-taming. If the universe is scheduled to throw a planet-killer asteroid our way, none of the greatest rulers, nor scientists, nor priests, or anybody else, will be able to stop it. If our planet gets sucked into a rogue black-hole, everything we are or ever were, all the politics, all the history, all the aspirations, poof...gone forever from this universe.
How to implement? - The perhaps harsh truth is, we humans are nothing more than bacteria plaguing the Earth, and to identify ourselves as being more valuable to the universe than that, simply invites false notions of 'divinity' or supernatural worth, with which we allow ourselves to be manipulated. We're only a bag of chemical-laden water, so get down from that pedestal, and keep yourself in perspective.
recognize that virtually all human-made misery is wrought of the human ego
realize that the greatest impediment to learning or correcting misperceptions, is our ego
have been taught to believe they have divine worth (a soul)
not understand that this tenet does not devalue self-esteem, it's only to tame the ego
In your life, you are the single most important person there is.
What does this mean? - The entire intent of this tenet is to put yourself in perspective. You do not need to worship anything, for there is nothing greater than the potential within yourself. Don't waste your life trying to gain the favor of someone (or 'something') you believe might be better than you, for you can be the greatest person you will ever know.
How to implement? - Draw a mental picture of what kind of person you'd have the most respect and reverence possible for, trace the steps back from that ideal all the way back to where you currently are today, and then, start taking those steps. Turn yourself into something you respect and love, more than anybody else in the universe. Also, make yourself invincible to insult by becoming an 'island'. Only those that care for you are allowed on your island; those that wish to hurt your self-esteem, simply do not register.
understand that we only have one life to live
have strong self-esteem and ambition
have been taught that it is shameful to hold yourself in high regard
mistakenly confuse this tenet for implying selfishness, instead of the intended self-fulfillment
be afraid to question their faith
The instincts of ego and greed can both provide powerful rewards, but can also cause the most damage to yourself and others. Control of these instincts is the foremost challenge in our philosophy.
What does this mean? - Though we love to consider ourselves intelligent creatures, we still bear a plethora of basic animalistic instincts that better served us in a hunter/gatherer society rather than in today's modern and complex world; and no instinct has been more tyrannized than the greed instinct, as evidenced by the billions of people exercising indentured servitude in their jobs every day. As well, our egos lead us down some incredibly wasteful pursuits, often to the benefit of others, as is the case with all religions selling ego-placating fantasy in exchange for donations to the collection plate. Recognizing that the ego and greed instincts are insatiable by design will help you to find true contentment, which is defined as learning to live within a reasonable means, instead of the endless pursuit of ego/greed placation.
recognize that very few 'frills' in life are worth hundreds of hours of work to earn it
have learned that people are fickle, and the pursuit of many people's affections are usually fleeting and empty
believe they are worth more than others
be greedy beyond common sense
Many entries touch on this tenet
Contentment is not reached through accomplishment or acquisition; it is a state of mind.
What does this mean? - What causes that feeling of malcontent? Quite simply: wanting. It is impossible to have everything your instincts desire, for even if you could conceivably create the perfect world for yourself that the instincts seem to demand, even still those instincts would ask for more.
How to implement? - Contentment by acquisition alone is not possible, contentment can only be achieved by learning to mitigate and control your reaction to the ceaseless pull of the instincts. Feed the instincts what you reasonably can, but learn to be happy with and focus on what you have, instead of always chasing your 'perfect' world, which simply does not exist.
have experienced the anti-climax of achieving a goal that failed to placate the underlying motivation of that goal
recognize the instincts are insatiable by design
believe that if they get or do just a couple more 'things', then they'll finally be content
not understand what an instinct is or how it is insatiable by design
Accept responsibility for who you are, what you do, and who you become.
What does this mean? - Very often people seek to dismiss responsibility for their detrimental actions performed (e.g. asking for 'forgiveness' from a higher power), or wish to blame others for their lack of success in life (e.g. feeling oppressed by the 'man'). We don't accept the denial and excuses mentality. Sure some of us have a better start in life than others, but once you've started, the rest is up to you.
How to implement? - Don't ever use the words, 'If only I'd had ....', or 'If it wasn't for so-and-so, I'd be...'. It doesn't matter how true you believe these statements to be, stop looking back, figure out the next step to go forward, and keep going. Also, don't hide from your wrongdoings, correct them. You'll never change anything that's already happened, but the future is always yours to mold.
have high ambition levels and self-confidence
understand the value of integrity
often make excuses for not improving their situation
have been taught (by example even) to overlook their shortcomings instead of addressing them
believe that since they started life with less than most, there's no point in trying
want to blame their parents/friends/society for the way they are
Anger is a very destructive and inefficient instinct. The phenomenal energy it produces must be channeled into harmless outlets, instead of fulfilling an obsolete and simple-minded act of equal revenge. Retribution or apology should only be enacted with the goals of recuperation and prevention, not to inflict reciprocal damage.
What does this mean? - In our modern societies, nothing good can come of an unmitigated burst of rage. Though this perfectly natural biological reaction to stress/fear has served us well during our evolution, the time has come for us to harness and focus this awesome power so that it does more good than harm.
How to implement? - Anger is unavoidable in life, but what you do with it is completely within your control. Learn to encapsulate your anger reaction, allowing your intelligence instead to properly handle the situation. Then, as soon as practical, unleash your searing rage by redirecting that physical energy into beneficial exercise, the perfect outlet for such a primitive energy source. A much more productive outcome can always be realized from any challenging situation when anger isn't leading the way.
believe that logic should prevail over careless physical outbursts
perceive rage for the primitive form of intimidation it is
believe a powerful emotional discharge is an effective solution to a problem
lack enough maturity to handle emotionally demanding situations
not believe it is possible to largely alleviate anger with physical exercise
believe in the primitive notion of an 'eye for an eye'
Life should contain a perpetual series of challenges that enlighten or strengthen.
What does this mean? - Left unchallenged, our minds and bodies decay in aptitude over time, decreasing overall quality of life, and robbing you of the long life you are capable of. In contrast, our bodies have also evolved the wonderful capacity to 'adapt' to challenge, and it does this by making you stronger when confronted physically, and more mentally acute when challenged intellectually.
How to implement? - You can keep your mind and body strong by stimulating them in channels of learning and participating in physically demanding activities on a regular basis. Travel, go to school, build something, train for a marathon, etc. There's an infinite number of ways you can expand your abilities so why not try out a few hundred of them before you return to dust? Beats going senile from apathy.
understand that the body and mind adapt positively to challenge
be intimidated by challenge or change
be afraid to leave the safe cocoon of their religious fantasy world
A healthy sleep, diet, and exercise regime serves as the foundation for a healthy mental disposition.
What does this mean? - We are machines. Biological sure, but that doesn't change the fact that we need to care for these constructs so they don't fall apart. The indentured servitude of our modern world stretches our schedules and makes it difficult to take the time necessary for a healthy lifestyle, but it is so important to prioritize some time in this pursuit.
How to implement? - Our bodies are designed to operate best within the equivalent environmental stresses of a hunter/gatherer society, so that means plenty of exercise, lots of natural foods, and enough sleep. Follow modern guidelines for exercise/dietary recommendations.
benefit from their own health regime
believe their bodies do not have the same potential for health as others
not understand how profound a difference that a healthy routine can make in one's quality of life
not understand that our mental disposition is buoyed by the body's health
Our sense of morality is most fundamentally founded in the social instincts, but needs to be refined through education in order to balance those instincts in a manner most conducive to large-scale social harmony. The morality of any given thought or action should only be judged by its positive or negative impact upon others.
What does this mean? - As a society, we bear a litany of ill-placed guilt reactions to completely innocuous and sometimes beneficial things (masturbation, divorce, pregnancy out of wedlock, questioning the existence of a god, etc.). Many of these guilt mechanisms are taught by religions in order to manipulate and contain their followers by taking control of what is inherently theirs, the right to pursue their own happiness. As well, the foundation of morality comes from our social instincts (empathy, justice, altruism, revenge, etc.) that evolved over eons of our hunter/gatherer heritage, allowing our ancestors to successfully band together to benefit from 'strength in numbers'. It is these influences from our ancient innate moral foundation that we define and refine into a cultural morality.
How to implement? - Understand that morality is defined by contributing to social harmony, justice, integrity, etc. with 'everyone'. Nobody is exempt from value or respect. Our moral instincts (empathy, altruism, etc.) do an excellent job of helping us determine the morality of anything we do, but quite often our more selfish instincts (ego, fear, etc.) can skew these perceptions (e.g. religiously ordained oppression of homosexuality, etc.) away from true morality. Get past your selfish instincts; judge the 'morality' of an act or thought solely on the degree of fellowship it creates, and judge the 'immorality' of an act or thought only by the harm it can create.
understand that religions manipulate with guilt
understand that morality is instinctually innate to us as a species
recognize that religions falsely claim to be the source of morality, when they simply just hijacked ownership of our instinctual morality
blindly subscribe to religious mantra without questioning its validity
not understand instinctual morality's crucial role in human evolution
Honesty, empathy, patience, tolerance, and perpetual respect must be the foundation for any introspection or when communicating with others. Slander, jealousy, hate, emotion or fear-based denial of scientifically-established information, ignorance-borne oppression, denouncing without understanding, and ostracism founded in cruelty, are all intolerable in our philosophy.
What does this mean? - Another challenging tenet; specifically how 'tolerance' seems to clash with BetterHuman.org's 'intolerance' toward religions. Tolerance, as implied here, is not meant to overlook ignorant prejudices, such as anti-homosexual nuances, racial oppression, etc; essentially we are seeking to promote tolerance toward things that are intrinsically harmless. Religion is the farthest thing from harmless and so it will not find protection under this caveat. Also, 'ostracism', as implied here, is strictly in a social context, and is not meant to describe 'legal' ostracism, such as when someone is incarcerated for a crime against society.
How to implement? - THINK before you speak or act. We are humans, and yes sometimes our more selfish instincts propel us to exercise hurtful actions, but the goal for you should always be self-improvement, and not placating your boisterous instincts. Lowering yourself to expressions of anger, or petty jealousy, or hateful prejudice, etc., may have a temporary instinctual relief, but you've taken a huge step down in your own personal growth. It should never be about the other person, instead, always look for opportunities to grow and strengthen, and those times are never more demanding or rewarding than when you have to control yourself. 'You' will always be the greatest challenge you will ever have, your greatest competitor. Show yourself what an awesome individual you are and keep your integrity intact, no matter what external forces are at work. Be an example for others.
recognize that one of the most valuable things you'll ever own is your integrity
know that nobody is truly inherently evil
rely upon unbridled emotions to guide their thoughts or actions
have been taught to ostracize/ridicule those that don't share their beliefs
Sexual activity is acceptable in all forms that do not directly impinge upon the respect or happiness of others, and always requires another's mature consent to participate.
What does this mean? - It is no accident that the most physically pleasurable thing we are capable of has been tyrannized and laden with control mechanisms; none more profound than religions' stranglehold on our ability to freely enjoy nature's greatest treat. How can there be any justification whatsoever for feeling guilty about wishing to exercise the potential for your body to feel pleasure, in any form?
How to implement? - Within the confines of health, safety, responsibility, and respect for others, do whatever you want with your body, and enjoy.
realize that indulging a sexual appetite is extremely healthy
are educated in the means necessary to prevent disease and unwanted pregnancy
be intimidated by sexuality
feel ostracized from sexual opportunities and wish to mentally tarnish this pleasure for others
believe that single parents are not fit parents
have been taught that sexuality/promiscuity is immoral/unsafe
Abortion is a decision only the parents can make.
What does this mean? - Many visitors comment on this tenet as being contextually irrelevant, straying too far from the main goal of eradicating religions. Abortion (in the context of an embryo, first 8 weeks of a pregnancy) is but one of many very sensitive political topics that frequently becomes skewed by powerful emotions and religious misdirection, and so the point of its mention here is to expose the fallout of imposing one's virtues upon another when those virtues have no logical foundation. It is also here to help those people who bear the burden of guilt for having had an abortion and have been led to believe they are murderers of children, which is preposterous.
How to implement? - BetterHuman.org does not advocate abortion, nor do we oppose it, we simply state that unless it's directly your situation, it's none of your business.
recognize that raising a child demands much maturity and resources
understand that an embryo is not a sensing conscious entity
respect another's right to make well-informed decisions
mistakenly believe a sensing/conscious baby is being killed
be blindly acting upon religious doctrine without logical merit
be inappropriately extending their maternal/paternal protection instincts to protect an incognitive mass of cells
Death is inevitable and forever. No exceptions.
What does this mean? - Sounds pretty harsh, but it's true. This is the single most important thing you must ever learn because there will come a day when you cease to exist; period. Any refusal to accept your mortality simply opens you up to manipulation and victimization, as religions have been doing for millennia by leveraging people's fear of death with false hopes of immortality, afterlife, reincarnation, spirits, and other fantasy.
How to implement? - The 'only' form of immortality we can possibly achieve as a human being is to persist beyond death as a memory in the minds of others; and to which we promote the noble path of striving to be a cherished memory, instead of a negative one. If you feel fear at the thought of death, then you are focusing on the wrong thing, instead, focus on making your life fantastic for the here and now. Distraction with happiness is the best antidote for the fear of death.
accept the limitations of reality
have difficulty reconciling this fact with their egos, or sense of 'wholeness'
have been misled to believe they have an immutable 'soul' that lives forever
be so afraid of death that they simply refuse to accept it
When one reaches a point in their life where it is physically impossible for any further quality of life, as in old age, or disease, it is within the right of that individual to request and receive the means for death (including euthanasia) to occur.
What does this mean? - We expend so much effort in our lives trying to 'avoid' death, that when the situation arises that someone 'wants' to die, it's difficult to empathize with their desires, especially when it is a loved one.
How to implement? - Not allowing someone to die, when they have no medically-determined realistic opportunity for a meaningful quality of life at any point in the future (e.g. in constant terrible pain, being consumed by disease, etc.) is exceedingly cruel. Show them mercy. Allow them a dignified, controlled death.
respect other people's educated right to choose their destiny
believe that only their god can decide the point at which someone dies
not understand the degree the person is suffering
have unrealistic expectations of the medical field's ability to cure
believe that any quality of life, no matter how bad, is still better than death
We must take responsibility for how we psychologically evolve, meaning that we must cultivate society-benefiting behaviors that will eventually become instinctual over many future generations.
What does this mean? - Believe it or not, we can 'choose' the direction our instinctual pulls will evolve into, simply by rewarding those behaviors at a society level. Let us create a system that recognizes and values those of us that choose to act in an altruistic and noble fashion, and over many generations, these social and peaceful instincts will magnify tremendously.
How to implement? - If we continue to foster an environment that rewards greed, deception, and tyranny (as most societies do these days in the form of wealth or religion), then our species will continue to 'evolve' in that direction. If we instead reward empathy and self-fulfillment, we'd evolve in a much more altruistic direction. The possible approaches to enacting this tenet are quite nebulous, but we could begin with a concerted propaganda campaign aimed at educating the masses so they can understand that promises of wealth and notions of the supernatural are the tools of tyrants to enslave others, and alternatively that altruism is infectious. As these perspectives take hold and people begin to willingly exercise social pressures toward altruism, we can then impose penalties (at first subtly, but increasing over time) against the pursuits of excess wealth and deceit. At the same time, rewards of respect and public recognition could be granted to those that generously focus on selfless pursuits. Finally, over time, 'respect' itself can become an alternative currency that is recognized and rewarded by all, rendering the pursuit of monetary wealth meaningless.
understand the mechanism of instinctual evolution
understand that we humans make our own destiny
fail to truly understand the mechanism of evolution
believe our fate is beyond our control or is subject to the will of a god
Education should be globally ubiquitous and homogenous, not only teaching the sciences, maths, and arts, but also reality perspective, introspection, self-improvement, interpersonal, and incredulity skills.
What does this mean? - This tenet exists merely to attempt to optimize the content of basic education. In no way is it implying that cultural idiosyncrasies (traditions, languages, etc.) be usurped for a global standard, but it does decree a standardized minimum caliber of education for all. One essential skill that needs to be taught is the ability to evaluate the credibility of information, such that the notions of hearsay, interpretation, faith, large followings, credibility-smearing, reverse pseudo-logic, legacy texts, etc. can be understood as examples of low credibility; whereas the scientific method reveals information of the highest credibility. An example benefit of this tenet would be to squeeze out the opportunity for false paradigms such as Intelligent Design theory to enter into pockets of our education system.
How to implement? - At first with voluntary admission, but eventually compulsory, schools should teach our children morality (not to be confused with religiously-skewed morality), civility, personal growth skills, and how to think independently of others, in order to cover shortcomings in these categories where students may be failing to receive this education at home. It may seem an overly-complex subject to encapsulate, but any attempt to define this basic humanistic/subjectivity education will propel greater social harmony over time, and will serve as a powerful deterrent to the false allures of religious fantasy.
see the risks of localized religious influences upon basic education
believe that the application and refinement of our instinctual morality, ethics, mannerisms, and other social-harmony graces, should be taught in schools
mistakenly believe this robs students of their culture
be a proponent of spreading 'faith'-addiction in schools
believe that morality can only be possible under the scrutinizing eye of a god
There is no such thing as an absolute fact.
What does this mean? - Not to be confused with a 'definition' (e.g. 1 + 1 = 2), evidence-based 'facts' are the much desired, but impossible to verify 'plateaus' in knowledge that we want to believe are immutable. The problem is, facts are only right until they are wrong. There was a time when everyone believed the Earth was flat, until it was proven otherwise. We may never have all the answers so it will be impossible to ever state anything as an absolute fact. The point of this tenet is to discourage hanging on to a perceived 'fact' at all costs, as witnessed by people's inability to question their 'faith'. The most important thing that separates science from a religion is science's ability to tolerate changes to its 'facts', thereby permanently redefining the word 'fact' to mean, 'Highly unlikely to be false'. Realistically speaking, this is the closest we'll ever get to the literal definition. All references to something being 'fact' in the BetterHuman.org vernacular fall under this less-restrictive definition.
How to implement? - Teach yourself to think in non-absolutes. There is nothing that can be stated with 100% certainty so always adjust your position to accommodate the chance of error, no matter how unlikely it may seem. No person is exempt from error.
recognize that all knowledge is subject to error
believe that 'faith' in something makes it equal to a 'fact'
allow their emotions to cloud their judgment
may oversell the credibility of something because they wish to 'appear' knowledgeable
All forms of ethereal belief organizations must be legally oppressed (enforcement definition) so as to avoid having these concepts escape the category of mythology. Mandatory reality education will also help to prevent the manifestation of religions.
What does this mean? - Timing. The greatest advantage that religions have over a reality perspective is their ability to get inside young impressionable minds before they've become wise enough to see through the false charms and hopes that religions offer. Once they are indoctrinated into a religion's maddening fear/guilt/false hope control mechanisms, it will be virtually impossible for them to be able to see that religions are nothing more than pyramid schemes that prey upon the na�ve among us. If religions were illegal, and our education systems integrated with a more sincere and practical reality education, as well as mandatory 'mythology' education such that religions are represented in an accurate light, it would be much easier for our children to detect the deception and fantasy that religions are. Also, this tenet is not attempting to make 'faith' itself illegal, only the systematic proselytism of faith. It's not a crime to be infected with the religious meme-virus; it's a mental health issue that needs to be compassionately treated.
How to implement? - This is probably the greatest challenge we face as a society: the stepwise elimination of religion as an influence in our perspective. A number of discrete steps (baby-steps) can be taken to reach the above envisioned plateau in a manner that provides ample time (perhaps many generations) for society to adjust to each of these steps in turn, thereby compassionately and slowly reducing religious tolerance at a pace that won't impose undue suffering to those already infected with the religious meme-virus. To begin, we could create a provocative propaganda campaign that discredits the notion of gods, perhaps by contrasting the differing beliefs of various religions, or by comparing directly to ancient mythology, or even common fairy tales such as Santa Claus, or the Easter bunny. Focusing this propaganda on the young would prove most effective as they represent the future. Next, we could introduce the subject, 'evolution of religion' into our children's schools, which details the plausible origins of religious perspectives from the times of ancient humans, all the way through to their fully manifested forms as they are today. As well, evolution theory should be taught in tandem with religion-evolution theory such that the children can understand how religion forms a very necessary and yet now obsolete portion of human intellectual evolution. Over more time, as anti-religious sentiment grows, there will be a breaking point at which the majority of voting influence can pressure the governing body to legally oppress organized religions, thereby sparing the remainder of potential mythology victims from falling into the maddening trap of a fantasy perspective; only then will the human species finally have been vaccinated from the religious meme-virus.
know that it takes much more education to be able to understand reality, than it does to understand the simplistic fantasy world of religion
understand that once someone becomes indoctrinated into a religion, it is virtually impossible for them to be subjective about their faith
see that reality education is the only vaccine to religion
be very addicted to the 'faith' narcotic and wish to propagate this affliction onto others
not have a meaningful reality education
have a terrifying misconception of what lies outside of a religious perspective
Freedom of speech needs to be understood for what it really, and currently is: a privilege instead of a right. Modern censorship should be extended to the degree that prevents someone blind with ignorance from misleading an innocent or susceptible audience.
What does this mean? - Also a very volatile tenet. One of the biggest misperceptions many people share is they believe there's such a thing as 'freedom of speech' in the first place. There is no such thing. Some examples of speech that are oppressed by legally-sanctioned censorship: slander, inciting a riot, racial slurs, obscenities in public media, perjury, etc. You see, the reality is you can't just say 'anything' at any time, so this means that 'freedom of speech' is more of a euphemism than a literal term; it is 'already' only a privilege, and has only ever been. Our tenet does not wish to significantly alter the present level of 'freedom of speech', it only aspires to eventually make it 'illegal' for anyone to teach 'fantasy' as if it were 'fact', especially when money is involved, thereby placing religions under the careful scrutiny of the legal system such that they can no longer manipulate the masses with fantastical notions of 'immortality' or 'ethereal punishment', etc.
How to implement? - Really try to understand the importance of stemming the tide of verbal 'pollution' that only serves to create tyranny, confusion, corruption, deceit, and fear. Accept that you do not currently have or need the literal sense of freedom of speech in order to be able to fully express yourself within the 'spirit' of freedom of speech. Instead, you should always have the right to express altruistically-intended and accurate speech. By constantly applying social pressure for 'evidence' to support whatever 'claims' are being made, it should become increasingly less tolerable for puffery like 'world's best', or 'just have faith', etc. to persist. As society learns to become more incredulous, and increasingly alert to 'too good to be true' schemes, eventually the laws will follow suit and be written in a manner that makes intentional misinformation highly punishable.
recognize that cults manifest from unrestrained misguided individuals that recklessly spout their fantasy to the gullible
understand that it takes great wisdom to lead or educate others
believe that freedom of speech really exists
be very addicted to their 'faith' and fear losing access to their opiate
be exaggerating the impact of this tenet
confuse this as fascist, not understanding that all political systems oppress speech to some degree
think that believing in fantasy is harmless
All fantasy and mythology should solely be presented as fiction, especially to children; again, to avoid the possibility of religion creeping into our society's reality perspective.
What does this mean? - There is no magic in the universe. No witches, ghosts, curses, demons, spirits, souls, gods, sons of gods, astrology, mysticism, numerology, fortune telling, psychics, telepathy, juju, voodoo, afterlife, reincarnation, heaven, hell, angels, prophecies, etc. It is all fantasy. This tenet is particularly challenging because it enters into the arena of telling people what they can or cannot tell their children. Though similar in flavor to our 'freedom of speech' tenet, this tenet focuses more on the roots of mythology, that being the misinterpreting of 'fiction' as 'fact' by impressionable minds. It may seem a lewd form of oppression but the reality is that everyone already endorses limiting what parents can teach. Do you think parents should be able to teach their children to become serial killers? Do you think parents should be allowed to let their kids sell drugs? Do you think parents should teach homophobia, racism, stealing, sexual acts, etc.? Of course not. There's already a very large list of thing that parents are 'not allowed' to teach their children. This tenet simply adds one more deceivingly innocuous item to the list, that being the portrayal of fiction as fact. Children do not have the ability to discern fact from fiction, and when fantastical stories are told to them (heaven, hell, ghosts, Tooth Fairies, etc.), it confuses, overwhelms, and pollutes their burgeoning perspective of the real world, sometimes with devastating consequences (e.g. a lifetime of servitude to a god that doesn't exist).
How to implement? - Do not lie to children. Tell them stories as they are meant to be told, as fiction. It's just as easy to entertain them with pretend fantasy as it is to deceive them into believing it's real.
recognize that the portrayal of fiction as fact to children is nothing short of mental abuse
understand that a child's value for the notions of honesty, integrity, respect, etc. are compromised by misleading them with fantasy
themselves be very addicted to their 'faith' narcotic and want to inflict this addiction on their progeny
believe it's their right to do whatever they please with their children, even under current social contexts
not see the harm that comes from filling a child's mind with fantasy
We are not all born with equal potential, as such we have differing strengths and weaknesses among us. This does not justify oppression (political definition), but merely challenges us to define a role for ourselves that provides contentment.
What does this mean? - Much effort in our societies attempts to falsely 'pigeon-hole' us as equally apt on all levels. This is extremely hypocritical, especially in the light that we all know it to be false. Yet, we're so afraid of oppressive classification systems that we valiantly deny this hypocrisy and push people into roles they are not capable of, or hold back those that are capable of so much more. Believe it or not, forcing everyone into equality, is just another form of blind oppression.
How to implement? - Let us take a step back from the misguided maniacal pursuit of 'everyone has equal potential', give some consideration to a realistic evaluation of individuals, and attempt to be empathic in those classifications such that we can best assist those individuals with their unique needs, or allow them to flourish uninhibited. Nobody likes to be measured because our egos always want to be perceived as more than we are, but the truth is that we are 'already' constantly measuring people, so let's stop pretending that we do not. This tenet is in 'no way' attempting to define someone's intrinsic 'worth', which of course is many people's first reaction, but instead it simply allows us to 'altruistically' (not oppressively) state the strengths and weaknesses that we all have, allowing us to find the best course in life individually tailored to each of us.
recognize the altruistic foundation of this tenet
see through the hypocrisy of claiming that we can actually exercise 'equality for all'
mistakenly believe this tenet results in oppression (political definition)
not understand that an 'equality for all' system is actually 'more' oppressive than the system this tenet purports
In order to elect leadership, the voting power of any individual should be calibrated against their overall character (which is a combination of their level of intelligence, education, and empathy), granting more voting power to those individuals that have pursued excellence in all of those categories.
What does this mean? - This is one of the most volatile of all BetterHuman.org tenets based upon many readers' charged feedback. Some people's first reaction to this is one of elitism, fascism, Nazism, etc. but these comparisons are simply not accurate. The intent of our tenet's weighted-vote democracy (called a 'meritdemocracy') is to skew the resultant leading body towards a more intelligent and noble disposition, something that an equality-for-all democracy fails to accomplish. It may seem a recipe for tyranny but the most vital parameter for the prevention of tyranny would be how 'empathic' the voters are, and by giving serious voting clout to those that have considerable empathy for their fellow humans, which in turn should be a strong quality of the leaders they elect. How would we determine one's level of empathy? It seems quite a subjective criteria but it is possible to create a meaningful way to evaluate a person's empathic nature. This of course would have to be determined by the ruling body of the time period in question, since the evaluation would have to be reflective of the type of culture of the period but some suggestions might be: one's balance of wealth versus altruistic pursuits, peer evaluation, any criminal history, etc.
How to implement? - Another challenging concept that is very complicated to enact. One possibility would be to create this weighted-vote democracy in a small town, where enough time can be granted for the evolution of this system to reveal its shortcomings/benefits. Once the proper balances of intelligence, education, and empathy measurements are achieved such that the greatest number of participants possible express contentment, the system can be scaled up to include multiple towns. After further refinement, the system can be spread to much larger regions, always remaining largely autonomous from surrounding influences (e.g. other region's laws or economics). Eventually, it is conceivable that the theoretical attractive quality of life for all will make this system much more appealing to outsiders and this system will eventually become the majority system.
see the ineffectiveness of a government that is statistically elected to power by the 'average' person
understand that true leadership takes genius that is beyond the ability of most to recognize
believe that an even-vote democracy is fairest for all
fail to recognize the shortcomings and fallout of an even-vote democracy
believe that strong leadership can result from democracy, which is effectively a popularity contest
believe that everyone knows what's best for themselves
believe that age alone serves as meaningful criteria for voting influence
mistakenly believe the suggested weighted-vote democratic system would unjustly oppress them or others
Leadership of any society should take the form of a consortium, formed of many specialized members.
What does this mean? - The world is a very complex place, and it is getting exponentially more complicated at all times. The diversity of challenges and expertise needed to fairly and intelligently delegate such complexity is now and forever going to be well beyond the capacity of a single person. Leadership should be composed of many experts that act in unison to provide an overall leadership. Perhaps a figurehead can be chosen to speak for the consortium, but no one person should ever have ultimate power.
How to implement? - This evolution can be accomplished quite easily in the same fashion that many monarchies have dissolved power down to elected officials. A gradual dispersion of power to various factions of government will eventually reduce the traditional role of the single leader to a mere figurehead.
have little faith in a sole person's capacity to lead a society
recognize the complexity of the real world
adhere to an antiquated mechanism for leadership without due consideration to its consequences in our phenomenally complex world
Poverty due to apathy is inexcusable and punishable. All other forms of unfortunate poverty will be remedied by societal pooling of appropriate resources.
What does this mean? - Everyone must play a role in society. From the beginning of time, an effort was needed to survive in this world, and this axiom still holds true today. Unfortunately, many undeserving people prey upon the generosities (charities, welfare, hand-outs, etc.) in our altruistic system in order to effectively 'steal' resources that are not due to them. This breaks down the effectiveness of the system, and passes their 'life' duties onto the backs of all others. People that choose this recourse are thieves and should be treated as such.
How to implement? - Carry your weight. You are not owed anything except the opportunity to succeed. Take that opportunity and become a proud contributing member of your society.
recognize that for some people, their ails in life are self-inflicted
believe they are 'due' a minimum quality of life with no effort required on their part
mistakenly believe this tenet is oppressive, when ultimately Mother Nature set these minimum demands a long time ago
believe it clashes with our first tenet, not realizing that displacing life's chores onto another, hurts another
Every person has the duty to maximally exert the influence of moral law, either by their direct intervention (when interpretation of the law is not in question), or by incitement of law enforcement services.
What does this mean? - This is not an attempt to promote vigilantism, but it is to encourage acceptance of responsibility for your part in maintaining social order. To turn a blind eye to an obvious crime is to practically be a conspirator to that crime.
How to implement? - This tenet is in no way suggesting that the laws in their current incarnation are largely representative of a valid moral creed, but for those few laws that are founded in morality (which precludes laws that protect financial power institutions that only serve to mass enslave), then it is your duty to do what you can to fulfill the essence of those laws.
perceive the altruistic foundation to this tenet
understand how profound their contributions can be
incorrectly believe this tenet means supporting laws that are not morally founded
believe nothing outside of their immediate lives is their concern
Massive accumulation of wealth is only permitted in the light of the nobility of its eventual intended purpose, which must in some way benefit humanity as a whole, better known as philanthropy.
What does this mean? - In the attempt to remove the systematic corporate enslavement of humanity by their greed instinct, this tenet will make it meaningless to pursue massive wealth for selfish purposes. Unlike the concept of communism, which attempts to level the playing field for everyone, this tenet merely 'caps' the maximum wealth one can obtain, at a very comfortable level, enough so that a person can live quite a good life, free from work, with some luxuries, etc. However, any further accumulation of obscene amounts of wealth (power) does nothing but enslave the masses to support such wealth, and that is the definition of tyranny. Excess of wealth should be spent assisting your fellow humans in altruistic fashion.
How to implement? - This is probably nearly as great a challenge to accomplish as the elimination of religion would be. To begin, a propaganda campaign could educate people about the direct connection between the massive wealth of the very few, with the necessary enslavement of the masses to support this wealth. Once people start connecting their indentured servitude to the luxurious lifestyles of the wealthy, they'll no longer be as easily subdued into complacency. Public opinion would begin to pressure the wealthy to stop sitting on their wealth, and perhaps coerce them into more philanthropic behaviors. As time passes and negative public opinion of the wealthy continues to grow, the majority of voting influence may eventually make it possible for leaders to be elected that would impose taxes upon non-philanthropically-exercised obscene wealth (as judged by the ruling body), again, in the effort to coax the wealthy into philanthropic behaviors. Next, the direct relationship between 'power' and 'wealth' could be legally fortified and hence regulations for ownership of 'power' can be much clearer in limiting who can be allowed to control it, leading to the elimination of the notions of wealth inheritance, or lotteries, etc., generally removing 'luck' as a parameter for acquiring wealth. Eventually, a maximum wealth 'cap' can be determined such that one can still acquire a fantastic amount of wealth which can realistically provide a very comfortable and 'rich' lifestyle, but will not allow for further wealth accumulation unless this added wealth is intended to be distributed in philanthropic fashion.
equate money with power
equate great wealth with mass servitude
recognize that great power should not be bestowed upon people without an altruistic disposition
be tyrants
subscribe to the primitive notion of 'only the strong shall survive'
already have obscene amounts of money and wish to retain their power
believe that they deserve an inheritance
fail to recognize that any and all wealth is borne on the backs of potentially thousands of people below them in our mass-servitude economic structures
The barbaric notion of tyranny, in all forms, from childhood bullies, to dictators, to the ultra-wealthy, must be prevented from surfacing in our societies, and instead the placation of the power-hungry instincts must be limited to arenas where competition is sanctioned.
What does this mean? - Most people don't like to play rough, and most people don't like to get their egos bashed around either. So what if what makes you happy is to dominate others? You're entitled, but only within the limited scope of people willing to compete back.
How to implement? - There are plenty of arenas (sports, debates, etc.) in which you can find like-minded individuals to exercise your combative instincts with, just don't drag the unwilling into this circle, and don't play barbarian in the world outside the combat zone.
perceive bullying and ego-bashing as disruptive to social order
believe intelligence has far greater merit than primitive demonstrations of power
be tyrants or bullies
not have control of their powerful ego
believe in the barbaric notion that 'might is right'