Who is who, or on the guard of humanism

What makes a person human? At first glance, this is a question from the category of banal and standard questions like: What are good and evil? What is love? What is happiness? What is tolerance? What is altruism? What is indifference?... Let's agree that each of us at least once in our life has heard such things, thought about them and, I sincerely hope, that at least once in our life we ​​still found answers to them.

But in fact, such questions are among the most important. One of those that distinguish a person as a separate species from all living creatures on our planet. Among those that give us the opportunity to think, analyze and dream; conquer new peaks; sometimes to be defeated, but always to rise; to believe that the next morning you will see dawn again on the horizon. But one of those that, in fact, make a person a person.

The most important feature of these issues is their relevance. They are timeless. And it does not matter whether it is historical time with its own chronology of events and epochs, or continental or human physical-age time. And I think it's good. It is good that in our postmodern century, when flights to Mars are taking place, genetic engineering is progressing, tunnels are being built under the seas, there is a place for open feelings, sincere emotions and warm human communication and care, good deeds and sudden tenderness.

But there is another side. And she is not so optimistic. If there is a need for such and similar indicator questions, it means that something is wrong in society and there is room for crimes against humanity.

For Ukrainian society today, these questions are more relevant than ever, considering that the war has been going on in our country for more than a year. Undoubtedly, war is a tragedy that devalues ​​the greatest jewel - human life. At the same time, war is a phenomenon that contributes to the development of civil society, exposes all the human strings of the personality, tears off masks and erases the make-up of powerful men, unites society.

This war awakened a civil initiative in Ukrainian society - a volunteer movement, which has now grown into a conscious civic position and helps preserve and save lives not only at the front, but also in the peaceful territories of our country, and not only for adults who find themselves in surprisingly difficult life situations. circumstances, but also to children who choose their right to life every day.

A volunteer is someone who stands on guard for humanity. He has many names - Angel, Guardian Angel, Hope, Dream, Life, Salvation, Faith... At the official legislative level, a volunteer is a volunteer. Now it is. And until 2003, the government was not interested in the humanism of these people and their useless, socially important activities in Ukraine. And only on December 10, 2003, the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine "On approval of regulations on volunteering in the field of social services" appeared. It was one of the first steps towards the foundations of a humanist society. Subsequently, on April 19, 2011 - the Law of Ukraine "On Volunteering". Then there was the Decree of the President of Ukraine "On the strategy of state policy to promote the development of civil society in Ukraine and priority measures for its implementation" dated March 24, 2012. After that, and to this day, the Law is subject to criticism and needs to be changed.

So, there is a humanist volunteer, a humane Law seems to exist, a humane society...

For now, we put three dots in the third position and hope for the best. Because, as the experience of recent years shows, not all citizens of Ukraine believe that you can help just like that, not for money, but from the bottom of your heart, that you can share your property and wealth voluntarily, and when you share, you should not call it a donation (we are not pagans, we do not sacrifice anyone or anything) and should not be told about it to everyone and by all means of communication, hoping at the same time for a reward. And when volunteers voluntarily plant young trees and bushes in parks, so that they are pleasing to the eye and useful for the ecology of the air we all breathe, then there is no need to become vandals and dig up at night those green, innocent plantings, take away to their homes or cottages, "humanely" absolving themselves, they say, they will all be equally broken and trampled. And, unfortunately, there are many such examples of anti-humanism...

By the way, similar phenomena are also called differently. Some describe them as "bad manners", "immorality", some - as "abuse of other people's rights", some - as "aesthetic crime". The state calls it, at best, an "administrative fine." But in these cases, of course, the name is not so fundamental. What cannot be said about the word "disabled" and people who are associated with this word both at the state level and at the social level.

First of all, based on the principles of humanistic ethics, each person is unique. In other words, more everyday, she is created in a single instance, with her set of life-necessary tools, endowments, talents, inclinations and skills inherent only to her. Accordingly, the way to implement a life plan in a unique person is also unique. And "unique" does not mean not the same as others, but in the sense of its own blithe And people in a healthy society (psychologically and politically) are similar not in similarity, but similar in their dissimilarity. They are united by the uniqueness of each. Humanism in such a society manifests itself in respecting this peculiarity of everyone. Don't judge, don't try to correct, don't ignore, don't sort out illusory non-formats, don't impose your preferences, namely YOUR-WAY.

Secondly, every single person, regardless of his or her particularity and uniqueness, has the right and opportunity to realize and actualize himself in society, has the right to education, employment, citizenship, and self-affirmation. She is EQUAL IN HER RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS with every member of this society.

The problem of today's society is that this idea of ​​humanistic ethics is regarded as, on the contrary, singling out a certain category of people into a certain group. Such a group used to be called the disabled. It is wrong, offensive and inhumane. Now the name has been changed - people with special needs - a little more humane. Do you know why "with special needs"? Because the country's government cannot provide EQUAL (equal, dignified, high-class) living conditions to ALL citizens of their country without exception.

Only under such discrediting, which occurs at the state level, people who win the Olympic Games, become winners of music competitions, paint beautiful pictures, somehow have to feel unworthy of their victories, or inferior, or limited. These people are NOT LIMITED in movement or perception of the surrounding world, as it may seem at first glance, these people simply have THEIR way of implementing their unique life plan and their set of physical and mental tools for it.

We have to respect that. And the authorities should respect this and show it with their concrete actions – building ramps to cinemas, shops, museums, houses, state institutions, educational institutions; build convenient and comfortable ground and underground transport for everyone, pay more attention to inclusive education, take an example from Henry Ford and his system of employment of people, etc.

And finally, for some reason it happened that a person tends to compare himself with others. This should not be done. After all, we are all different. And they are equal to each other only in this difference. But, if you really want to compare someone or something in someone, please, there is a way out - compare yourself yesterday with yourself today. Because only in this way the comparison criteria will be correct. And if as a result of such a comparison, you have become better than you were yesterday - you are well done, you can praise yourself. If not, then work more on yourself, because everyone makes themselves, polishes and constantly improves. "It is not enough to be born a person - one must still become one."