Neohumanism

All molecules, atoms, electrons, protons, positrons and neutrons are the veritable expressions of the same Supreme Consciousness. Those who remember this reality, who keep this realization ever alive in their hearts, are said to have attained perfection in life. They are the real bhaktas [devotees]. When this devotional cult does not remain confined to a mere practice, but instead is elevated to a devotional sentiment, a devotional mission, to the realm of devotional ideation – when the underlying spirit of humanism is extended to everything, animate and inanimate, in this universe – I have designated this as “Neohumanism”. This Neohumanism will elevate humanism to universalism, the cult of love for all created beings of this universe.

What is Neohumanism? Neohumanism is newly-explained humanism. “Humanism” and “humanity” have been very popular words for the last century, but only human beings have come within the scope of humanism and humanity. This explanation [of the concept] is not sufficient – it cannot quench the thirst of the developing human society. Why should the love and affection of developed human minds be restricted to human beings only? Why should it not include all living beings, including plant life? This is the new explanation of humanism – Neohumanism – for within Neohumanism the entire animate world is included.

What is this humanism? It is socio-sentiment maximitis. Is this the panacea for all problems? Does it provide answers to all questions? No, it does not, for two reasons. The first is that even within humanism there is still intra-humanistic clash; and secondly, in the living world, humans are not the only living beings – there are many other creatures as well. If people completely ignore them, indeed this may not create any great conflict in the external world, because non-human creatures are psychologically undeveloped. (Even if they are physically developed, mentally they are undeveloped.) Thus it is easy for human beings to destroy the animal and plant kingdoms. But this destruction will upset the balance among the plant, animal and human worlds, and result in the catastrophic ruin of human life as well.

Often certain social groups – be they international groups or the largest social groups – seek to preserve their existences by destroying non-human creatures – animals and plants. But all animals and plants also have the urge for self-preservation; no creature dies willingly. This destructive tendency is operating not only in the inter-creature world (the torture of animals and plants), but also in the intra-creature world (within the human world itself). The kind of persecution which is being perpetrated against animals today may be perpetrated by one social group against another tomorrow, because the very tendency to torture others is predominant in the blood of the exploiters. They are not free from this disease – they merely mouth high ideals. That is why I said that this is all pseudo-humanistic strategy, not even humanistic strategy.

Now, what does “intra-humanistic clash” mean? Suppose I find that a particular social group is suffering from starvation, and I provide food for them. This is humanitarian, no doubt, but at the back of my mind I am thinking, “Let me utilize these people as the suppliers of our raw materials and the purchasers of our finished products, because these people are now obligated to us.” This sort of mentality will one day destroy peace in society. So the humanistic approach is not perfect – it is adulterated.

And what is “pseudo-humanistic strategy”? “Outwardly we preach the gospels of humanistic idealism but actually we stab others in the back.” In the absence of a firm foundation, this sort of ordinary human sentiment remains unstable. This situation is prevalent all over the world today; you must make sincere efforts to see that it continues no longer.

The devotional sentiment is the highest and most valuable treasure of humanity. I have said in Namámi Krśńasundaram that Krśńa is the vaeduryamańi [brightest jewel] of the human heart. This element of devotion, the most precious treasure of humanity, must be preserved most carefully. Because it is such a tender inner asset, to preserve it from the onslaughts of materialism, one must build a protective fence around it, just as people put up a guard-rail around a small tender plant. Now the question is, what is this protective fence? It is a proper philosophy which will establish the correct harmony between the spiritual and material worlds, and be a perennial source of inspiration for the onward movement of society.

Now, what is the role of devotional sentiment, the most valuable treasure of humanity? It is to transform the sense of worldly existence into the supreme spiritual stance. If a materialistic philosophy contains any narrowness, like the geo-sentiment we discussed, an imbalance is bound to occur between the inner and outer worlds, and psycho-physical imbalance will be inevitable. That is why, in spite of possessing everything, people will remain poor and deprived. In the past this geo-sentiment has caused enormous harm to many individuals and groups of people. Intelligent people must keep themselves aloof from this geo-sentiment and support nothing that is based on it, because it pollutes the devotional sentiment; it degrades human beings and undermines human excellence.

Now, what will you do to counteract geo-sentiment, to safeguard yourself and also the collective body? (It is more important to protect the collectivity than to save yourself.) First, you will study. And what will you do to remove the defects in study? You will have to come to a logical decision after examining the positive and negative sides. And then, after reaching a conclusion, you will decide whether that conclusion will be implemented or not; whether or not you will materialize that conclusion will be decided on the basis of whether or not it is conducive to human welfare. When you reach this final decision, this final desiderative point, that is your conscience. Finally, through your conscience, you can successfully combat geo-sentiment.

In the first stage you study; in the second you analyse the positive and negative sides; and in the third stage you arrive at “blissful or non-blissful, auxiliary or non-auxiliary.” When you complete this whole process of logical reasoning, the outcome is your “awakened conscience”. This state of awakened conscience is what is called “rationalistic mentality.” Keep your conscience ever-vigilant. Develop a firm rationalistic mentality, and no one will be able to deceive you by false geo-sentiment. This rationalistic mentality will provide you with sufficient inspiration and strength to fight against socio-sentiment, ordinary humanistic sentiment, and pseudo-humanistic strategy. You will not only gain vocal strength, but become strong in all respects.

What is the way to counteract this socio-sentiment? The only way to eliminate it is to develop proto-spiritualistic mentality. The basis of this proto-spiritualistic mentality is sama-samája tattva [the principle of social equality]. When people understand this principle from the core of their hearts, they spontaneously develop proto-spiritualistic mentality, proto-spiritualistic psychic structure. So this sama-samája tattva is very necessary to fight against socio-sentiment. There is no other way. If one avoids this sama-samája tattva and thinks, “I will be a virtuous person, I will be a devotee of the Lord, I will do all sorts of good deeds – but I will not raise my voice against injustice,” I must say that will be foolish. Trying to do good while avoiding this sama-samája tattva is just like placing the cart before the horse. The cart should be placed behind the horse; it is foolish to place it in front.

It has been observed that human movement is inspired by two ideas. In my recent book Sabhyatár Ádibindu: Ráŕh I have used two terms for these ideas, átma-sukha tattva [principle of selfish pleasure] and sama-samája tattva [principle of social equality]. Whatever human beings do motivated by átma-sukha tattva is for the sake of pleasure. This principle of selfish pleasure rests on dogma. All the social, economic and geographical forces that normally motivate human beings are guided by dogma; and this dogma in its turn is entirely based on átma-sukha tattva. Human beings yield to this dogma with the sole intention of attaining selfish pleasures; even educated people knowingly submit to dogma. They know that they are surrendering their intellect to dogma, and that the outcome will be undesirable; they know and understand everything – why, even then, do they knowingly submit to it? They are all deliberate sinners and intentionally accept dogmas as truth.