2. Do You Want to Make a Difference?

Humanists are needed more than ever.

Once upon a time, landowners became the kings. For most of human history, this has been the case. For the last two hundred years, our leaders have had new types of competencies. The great industrialists become our formal and informal leaders. They built our railroads, drilled for oil, and financed the infrastructure for urbanization.

Businessmen once reigned over politics, but then came the lawyers and regulators, who still have a major influence over society today. There was also a period when engineers, urban planners, and builders had significant influence over the development of society. This was complemented by economists and financial experts who have greatly influenced commerce as well as the circumstances for individual wealth. Now we have giants of technology quickly gaining influence, oversight, and entering the realm of politics.

My message in The Do-Gooders’ Playbook is that now is the time for the humanists to take a step forward.

A humanist is a friend of the arts, of democracy, and of human rights.

A humanist may come from many backgrounds, but a true humanist has faith in the potential of all humans, irrespective of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexuality.

A humanist can take many forms and engage in various professions. Surely some humanists are lawyers, bankers, and politicians. Many humanists have professions such as teaching, social work, psychology, art, and social science, which typically don’t involve entering politics or running large firms.

I believe that the audience for the Do-Gooders’ Playbook will be writers, artists, musicians, creators, innovators, and others who aspire to bring out the humanity in themselves and others in order to build a more humane, just, and egalitarian society.

I assume you are a concerned citizen and, like me, are extremely worried about the state of the world and the direction many leaders are taking us. You worry that we are going backwards and are concerned that in the USA we now have a landowner who is a would-be king as president, a bully with a mafia-style leadership, concerned mostly with his own status and wealth.

We humanists are needed more than ever, and this Substack is my small effort to help us believers in civility, democracy, and human rights move us in a more positive direction. I will give you encouragement, hopefully a few insights, and give you suggestions for strategy and reflection under the subheading, “Consider this.”

Consider this: On a scale of 1-10, how great is your concern for the state of society? Do you believe it is time for the humanists of the world to take a step forward?