Opportunism

The natural tendency of all animals leans toward opportunism. It is part of the drive to survive. Modern human beings have packaged opportunism in various forms. Competition, entrepreneurship and market niche are all ideas based on opportunism.

As intelligent and mindful human beings, we have the ability to make choices between the opportunistic and humanistic. The two are rarely harmonious. Opportunism has gotten us to where we are: An overpopulated species on a degraded planet. Humanism offers a way of living that is based on equanimity, justice and science-supported cooperation. These ideals are frequently at odds with individualism, hedonism and competition, which are based in opportunism.

Opportunism will not provide all human beings with basic human rights to food, shelter and decent work, despite the Libertarian-Ayn-Rand-ian claims that it will. Opportunism is the baseline process of survival of the fittest, the Social Darwinist ideal. The Tea Party is really the Me Party.

Discarding opportunist thought and action takes courage in a capitalist world. The Donald Trumps of the world mean you harm if you get in their way. This is their chosen opportunistic path. Choosing to defend the defenseless, to aid the needy and to include the voiceless is part of a humanist value system, as I see it. This often closes opportunities for personal gain to the person who chooses this path. The corporate non-profit creates an illusion of win-win philanthropy, while those who run these organizations line their pockets and live exorbitant lifestyles. This is not the humanist way of equality and universal justice. This is simply business as usual, wrapped in sentimentality and slick advertising.

My humanist practice is difficult. I do not thrive on pain or arduous self-deprivation. However, I do believe that I must choose fairness over selfishness in daily choices. This is not the popular way of my American environment.