What Does It Mean To Be Human?

Following are some samples from “What Does It Mean To Be Human,” compiled and edited by Fredrick Franck, Janis Roze, and Richard Connolly:

“Prologue:” “Albert Schweitzer’s life motto..Reverence for Life is the one principle on which a viable ethic can be founded. I saw him apply it in practice while serving on his medical staff in Lambarene..the guiding principle in everything he did. It was totally free from sentimentality. It was simply the avoidance of inflicting unnecessary suffering on any living being and the alleviation of suffering with all the medical and human means at his disposal. Reverence for the mystery of life was for him the basis not only of an ethic but also of all truly human relationships, not only with our fellow humans, but also with all that lives.”

Elie Wiesel: “To the homeless, the poor, the beggar, the victims of AIDS and Alzheimers, the old and the humble, the prisoners..the wanderers in their dreams, it is our sacred duty to stretch out a hand and say: “In spite of what separates us, what we have in common is our humanity. We cannot and must not live isolated from one another…God alone is alone. Our humanity is measured not by our solitude but by our attitude toward someone else’s.”

Mary Evelyn Tucker: “To be human means to take off the headphones and unplug virtual reality. We need to listen again and to relearn the multiple voices of the universe. From these voices will come the songs of healing and renewal…If we are to survive as humans, it is crucial that we learn once again to sing.”

Donella Meadows: “To be human is to be born with an enormous package of potentials, for hatred and suspicion, for love and trust, for greed, generosity, passion, apathy…born into a world that pulls out and pushes back the potentials inside us.. We do a dance, the world and I. Sometimes the world supports part of me. Sometimes it crushes part of me…So I need other people, who have sampled other parts of the world. Together we can make a more complete picture…and remember that the bit of truth I know is not anywhere near all the truth there is.”

Seyyed Hossein Nasr: “To be human means for of all to possess an intelligence which can know the truth and falsehood, beauty and ugliness, goodness and evil…to have free will to choose and, more specifically, the will to choose the true, the real, the beautiful, and the good and attach oneself to them…A human being can be a saint and a seer, a light onto the world, with goodness and charity which knows no bounds. He cab also be so evil that no creature can be compared to him in the degree of destruction and subversion that he brings about.”

Anne Wilson Schaef: “We are all one human family. All members are worthy of respect. We should never trod over others or their property just because we can. We are responsible for our behavior and our actions no matter how young we are or how innocent the motive. It is our responsibility to see how our actions affect others and to do what we can to right a wrong we have created. We are part of a larger whole..When we destroy or damage any part of God’s creation, we abuse and destroy ourselves. Being fully human means accepting the responsibility of knowing we are one with all things.”

Wilma Mankiller; “To be human is to understand our own insignificance in the totality of things. We are interdependent with plants, animals, waters, stars, the Moon, the sun to sustain our lives..To be human is to be concerned with spirituality, whether one expresses it through orthodox religion, ancient ceremonies, or simply by the way we live our lives.”

David Krieger: “To be human is to break the ties of cultural conformity and group-think and to use one’s own mind…to recognize good and evil and to choose good..to consider with the heart..to act with conscience..to be courageous..to choose the path of compassion…recognize our kinship with all forms of life..appreciate every drop of water..to open our eyes to the simple and extraordinary beauty all around us…to love.”

From You don’t Say,” by L.K. Hanson comes this from Frederick Douglass: “Mr. Lincoln was not only a great President, but a great man – too great to be small in anything. In his company I was never in any way reminded of my humble origin, or of my unpopular color.”

From Paul Morgan’s “Impact Images,” comes “The Ten Indian Commandments;”
“Treat the earth and all that dwell thereon with respect. Remain close to the Great Spirit. Show respect for your fellow beings. Work together for the benefit of all mankind. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed. Do what you know to be right. Look after the well-being of mind and body. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good. Be truthful and honest at all times. Take full responsibility for your actions.”

From Will Durant’s “The Story of Philosophy” comes a description of Aristotle’s ideal man:
“He does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life – knowing that under certain conditions it is not worth while to live. He is of a disposition to do men service, though he is ashamed to have a service done to him. To confer a kindness is a mark of superiority; to receive one is a mark of subordination…. He does not take part in public displays….He is open in his dislikes and preferences; he talks and acts frankly, because of his contempt for man and things….He is never fired with admiration, since there is nothing great in his eyes. He cannot live in complaisance with others, except it be a friend; complaisance is the characteristic of a slave… He never feels malice, and always forgets and passes over injuries… He is not fond of talking….It is of no concern of his that he should be praised, or that others should be blamed. He does not speak evil of others, even of his enemies, unless it be to themselves. His carriage is sedate, his voice deep, his speech measured; he is not given to hurry, for he is concerned about only a few things; he is not prone to vehemence, for he things nothing very important. A shrill voice and hasty steps come to a man through care…He bears the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of his circumstances, like a skillful general who marshals his limited forces with all the strategy of war….He is his own best friend, and takes delight in privacy whereas the man of no virtue or ability is his own worst enemy, and is afraid of solitude>”

The inscription on Jackie Robinson’s tombstone: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

“Who is a wise man and endowed with knowledge among you? Let him show it with good conduct, in deeds done in meekness that comes from wisdom. If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, do not boast of it, and do not deny the truth. This so-called wisdom descends not from heaven, but is earthly, sensual, delish. For where envying and strife are, there is disorder and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
James 3: 13-17

Albert Einstein: “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”