Human manifesto
Can we redefine what it means to be human in a time and era that challenges the core uniqueness of humanity?
A human, a species, a story of many unique stories.
I have had this project in mind for many years now: to work on a human manifesto as a call to all creative humans. Each person would state and define their vision of what it means to be Human in a few sentences.
As we enter an era of increased AI and our capacities are being reevaluated, we navigate through disorder, confusion, anxiety, fear, and climate change, while our individuality is being challenged. What does it mean to be human today, and what is our vision for the next generation of humans? What is our hope for them?
Why it came to me?
This text has been in my draft for 2 years now. I had outlined the main points I wanted to speak about, but I forgot about it until I stumbled upon it today. I guess momentum was here. As I write and gain more confidence, I have decided to stop overthinking. When you have the hunch and the material ready to come out, just write!
This piece may not change your day, but if it can raise the question of what kind of humans we want to witness expanding in the next centuries, then it is worth it.
It is a simple, yet profound question.
What is a Manifesto?
An artistic manifesto is a public statement of an artist’s intentions, motivations, or opinions, as well as those of an artistic movement. However, a manifesto is not limited to the art field; it is also well-known and used in politics. You may be surprised to discover that many of our constitutions and other political documents are essentially manifestos for societal values. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an example of how a society defines the direction it wants its people to take. We are trained to put together how we define our society, interactions and ventures.
A Human manifesto
What is a human? I asked ChatGPT to provide me with a definition of a human based on its archive of human endeavours since 2021.
This is its reply:
A human is a member of the species Homo sapiens, characterized by their bipedalism, large brain size, and ability to use language and tools. Humans are also known for their complex social structures, culture, and ability to adapt to a wide range of environments. As a species, humans have evolved over millions of years and have developed unique characteristics and abilities that distinguish them from other species on Earth.
Pretty impressive right? A human is ‘‘a member of’’, we are defined as ‘‘part of’’. We do not have resonance without the whole we engage with. In this definition, I witness everything we have accomplished as a whole that defines an organic chaotic and orderly body of people. As evolving creatures, we are constantly redefining ourselves at each transformational phase of life. Despite our diversity, we all share common traits that are visible and identifiable. Our capacity to create, think, build, construct, deconstruct, support, and dismantle sheds light on a human paradigm of contrast, where opposing forces and ideas come together to shape our collective identity.
What does it mean to be human today?
What does it mean to state I am human? Do we even as individuals choose that status in our daily lives? We often cling to narrower identities, such as our country, color, language, or tribe — a smaller component of the whole. By reducing ourselves to these individual fractions, we seek reassurance and a sense of belonging, but perhaps we overlook the larger, interconnected nature of our existence as humans.
Choosing to be Human and using it daily would erase all the rest, possibly all we have been crafting as individual identities. Do we have a Human identity other than a biological one? Can we intentionally pivot our individual identity for the greater good: humans?
It can be a difficult and even devastating concept to consider that the countries and limitations we have constructed for the sake of order and hierarchy may no longer be the ultimate goal. The idea of a human state that embodies the whole species may seem erratic or even threatening to centuries of beliefs and societal structures that have tried to conceal a fundamental truth: we are all the same, tenants of this blue ecosystem.
How can we at several hands write it for each one of us?
Can we create a Human manifesto in the style of a ‘‘cadavre exquis’’ (exquisite corpse)? What kind of ideas and sentiments should we include in it? How can we organize and inspire individuals to contribute with a sentence, a paragraph, or even a hashtag?…
It may be viewed as a futile exercise in light of the struggles faced by billions of people worldwide for basic needs, freedom of speech, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. A new cause, the human cause, may seem out of place and not a priority. However, I believe it is a worthy endeavour that can engage a diverse body of people. As we are all defined as a component of the whole, we should focus on defining the whole not only based on our understanding of our mini-world but as a formula that combines the sum of many mini-worlds.
Many projects already share human stories about what it means to be human, what it takes to be human, and the responsibilities it embodies. It is not a new venture, but have we as a collective intentionally given it the status and recognition it deserves?
Being Human and being an AI human
The rise of AI is not a threat to humanity. We created AI, yet it is an opportunity to clarify the future blurred lines. AI tools, products, and beyond mimic who we claim to be, and as we show the example of a species that can be radically unconscious of its duty towards its own species and other species, the cracks in our code also apply to current and future AI creatures. I am a big sci-fi fan, and many writers, directors, and storytellers have portrayed a disoriented human trying to figure out who they are within their own creation. As we enter an accelerated realm of delegation and orchestration, redefining the human character could be a healing process.
To hack the machine, reconsider what you feed the machine with
A human manifesto is made up of many individual manifestos: human stories of resilience, hope, progress, love, and more.
Like a message in a bottle, let’s imagine each human putting in a bottle their vision or hope for the next Human. We could gather a chaotic, rich, and paradoxical set of ideas. From that mix, we could extract a statement and build from there. A visual interpretation of that statement could change every year to celebrate the diversity of humans and ideas. Each manifesto could have a place within the whole. And we could possibly agree on one word aside Human = ________
Human = an experience
Since childhood, I always find it amusing to think about how we come into this world and become human. We have to learn how to stand, walk, speak, and interact with the world around us, which can be painful and challenging training. A training that summarized the common question: what are we doing here? What is the goal of being a human?
I don’t have an answer. I hope and believe that each one of us holds a key to that answer. As if each of us possessed a secret ingredient that, when combined as a whole, makes us Human and gives purpose to our training.
As I mentioned earlier, it is a journey of life to be human from childhood to our late years. We keep torturing ourselves for our dreams, goals, visions, and purpose. We uncover and discover new angles and shades of who we think we are, and often, what we think we are is an illusion. We have to untangle the human experience of illusion, but the question is, why?
In that quest for Self, perhaps lies a clue to the existence of a Human manifesto. The manifesto would be the sum of our organic and diverse training, which defines the character of a human. No human is immune to that training, no human is spared from that endeavour and quest. Always looking, always in search of, never satisfied with its original state. There lies the limitation of humanity, the endless search. If it is a limitation, maybe there is something grand that outgrows that limitation. In that limitless entity that is not human, may reside our definition or hope for the future Human, the future student.
Human today, human tomorrow? That is the question
This piece has the humble goal of putting it out there, to place it on the table again, as many others before me have, what if we decided to intentionally collaborate as a whole on our Human identity? I am curious about the body of ideas we can collect and organize to put into a time capsule…
