SG GE2025 Eve Edition
We had at least two newcomers! And a chicken joined us in the afternoon before evening fell.
Libertarian paternalism. Heard of that phrase before? Not many had, until this Hanging Out with Humanists (HOH) session at Hans Union@Springleaf. Topics pertaining to leadership, human agency and the many forms of ethics were discussed, such as the sources and/or methods from whence morality and ethics are derived, and how that scales up to affect politics and governance. Furthermore, topics such as Singaporean education were touched upon, such as the realities behind academic certifications and alternatives, and how Singapore compares in terms of flexibility in life direction against other metropolitan countries.
Another topic of consideration was how everyone has their own styles when it comes to communicating with others. However, regardless of whether one is an extrovert – willing to push past their comfort zones to meet new people, or an introvert – content with working within a tight knit community, work has to be done to keep those connections solid, and within the framework of Humanism, a sincere effort to work toward a common goal has to be made, lest time be wasted on being aimless and milling around. Real change does take some elbow grease, and without proactive efforts to take initiative or build relationships, all this community would amount to would be an ebbing and flowing tide of fleeting observers.
Ultimately, across the landscape of discourse from the social to the historical and intellectual, this HOH session was a walk down memory lane as to how Singaporean society, in light of its internal workings, affairs and history, has become the community it is now — and what we make of it, and how we effect change is up to us putting in a collective effort. A collective effort which — as the HSS — we can put in, if we take the time to connect with a fellow Humanist, and work with them toward a common goal.
