Provenance

Some time ago, I was facilitating a meeting of a diverse group of people who came together to meditate. When we went around after our meditation to share our experiences, a graduate student, who came late to the meeting and had missed the introductions, started his remarks by saying, after a look in my direction, "I think we should all present our provenance, that is, what qualifies us to be part of this kind of meeting." He then went on to present us with his curriculum vitae, which included several prestigious ivory towers.

Elitist humanists?

I think he missed the point of the meeting by a good mile. My work as a professional nurse, as a secondary-school science teacher and even as an antiques dealer has educated me to understand that provenance is usually a moth-balled list of reasons why someone should be given deference, despite his own disrespectful behavior. Provenance is the pedigree of the academic. Fortunately, the world actually progresses by way of talent and skill, and not by provenance.  

I think one job of the humanist is to bridge the difficulties raised by religious prejudice. One of the most basic prejudices supported by religions is the distorted concept of birthright. Devotees of religion see themselves and their offspring as chosen or special because of their religious provenance. This is the seed of the us-them dynamic that leads to human conflict and misery. Whether it is based in nuclear family, tribe, nationality, education or religion, the concept of provenance is often used to exclude, dominate or belittle.

The only provenance which should matter most to a practicing humanist is another person's humanity. I am not equivocating all skills, talents or education, but I am saying that truly humanist greeting to another human being is a smile and a welcome, offered with openness to whatever that human being can bring to life in the moment for the greater good.