What does it mean to be human?
The first obvious answer is the shared ancestry of all of humanity. This distinguishes us as a group in the same way that any living thing can be categorized according to its form and ancestry. It is most relevant to focus on qualities and potentials that are unique to the human family. As far as we know, our ability to communicate is significantly greater than other creatures. We are unique in the ability to record and preserve ideas. There are references to ideas regarding the nature of humanity that are preserved from antiquity. In the tenth chapter of John, when Jesus was accused of making himself the equal of God , his defense was not to say I am God, but instead he quoted the eighty second Psalm saying “I have said, Ye are gods”. This statement in the context of the Psalm does not make any human greater than his creator, but does imply godlikeness to mankind.
Humans are creative. We shape our environment in deliberate ways. This godlikeness is not forced on us but must be consciously chosen, or it may be negligently rejected. Our crime is to ignore the responsibility of this unique capacity.
When the standard practice is, to neglect this godlikeness, by not striving to perceive good and evil influences, we instead conform to standards that are given by leaders, who themselves, are often self-serving. A good illustration of this is given in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. After having been sold into an unacceptable circumstance, Eliza and her child escaped. Sam and Andy frustrated her recapture.
“Good, now! dat’s de time o’ day!” said Sam. “It’s Sam dat’s called for in dese yer times. He’s de nigger. See if I don’t cotch her, now; Mas’r’ll see what Sam can do!” “Ah! but, Sam,” said Andy, “you’d better think twice; for Missis don’t want her cotched, and she’ll be in yer wool.”“High!” said Sam, opening his eyes. “How you know dat?”“Heard her say so, my own self, dis blessed mornin’, when I bring in Mas’r’s shaving-water. She sent me to see why Lizy didn’t come to dress her; and when I telled her she was off, she jest ris up, and ses she, ‘The Lord be praised;’ and Mas’r, he seemed rael mad, and ses he, ‘Wife, you talk like a fool.’ But Lor! she’ll bring him to! I knows well enough how that’ll be,—it’s allers best to stand Missis’ side the fence, now I tell yer.”
Slaves can be forgiven for being forced into submission, but in this story they chose to frustrate the search, not to protect the dignity of their fellow servant, but instead to secure a more desirable station in plantation life.
Those with authority possess a naturally heightened consciousness. They are well aware that the tenuous privileges they enjoy must be guarded. When we selfishly limit our focus to immediate comfort and safety, we are corrupt just like our masters. They offer incentives so that we will never want to risk being the first or only one to challenge the legitimately of this hierarchy.
What does it mean to be free?
The question of what it means to be human was given two answers. The first was a biological distinction imposed on us. The second described a presumably unique godlike creative ability to shape ourselves and our environment. These abilities need to be cultivated, and they can be guided to serve good or evil.
Freedom can also have two meanings. A self-serving individual, wanting no restraints will not accommodate others, whenever that accommodation interferes with his own indulgence. When taken to the extreme limit he needs to dominate all other people. All others must have their godlike potential hidden and suppressed, so that they serve the only fully indulgent person, as a superior.
Because this form of freedom is so exclusive, it is unattainable. Because it also requires universal corruption, it cannot enjoy the benefits of membership in a fully functional human society. It is not a good choice.
A second type of freedom requires most, if not all, of society’s members to adopt a heightened consciousness on par with that of our current rulers, but without asserting forceful dominance. The constraints of foregoing limitless indulgence are far outweighed by the benefits of being surrounded by fully vested humans, who themselves are free to develop their own potentials. These benefits are peace. They include not needing to remain, always vigilant, while guarding against other competitors for privilege. They include the voluntary goodwill of others, and the security of needs being met by diverse redundant suppliers.
… if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth.