The Age of Humanists

[MatCauthorn]

I've been to a few meetings of humanists and, by and large, the people who attend these meetings seem to be the above-65 crowd. I've been told that this is largely a function of who has time to attend meetings rather than who actually holds humanistic beliefs, but it seems to be a universal problem for humanist groups that they don't have any/enough young members.

Could it be a matter of content? Most humanist meetings, frankly, seem to feature pretty dull topics, at least as far as the average person is concerned. Maybe young people have other priorities, whereas older people enjoy going to these meetings to have a sense of community.

Any ideas on this? Is not having younger people a problem, or is it just a function of factors which can't be controlled?

-- Mat

 

[Saw11_2000]

Hmmm I would be a "young" member, does that make me special?

I would never attend a convention though, LOL, I just believe in their principles.

So, you are right, young people have other stuff to do.

 

[DianeVera]

I've been to a few meetings of humanists and, by and large, the people who attend these meetings seem to be the above-65 crowd. I've been told that this is largely a function of who has time to attend meetings rather than who actually holds humanistic beliefs, but it seems to be a universal problem for humanist groups that they don't have any/enough young members.

Is the above true in the Bible Belt, or just here in the Northeast? (I note that you live in NY.) I would expect humanist groups to have more appeal to atheists/humanists of all ages in the Bible Belt, where atheists are likely to feel isolated and persecuted, than in the Northeast, where they are pretty much socially accepted in society at large.

Could it be a matter of content? Most humanist meetings, frankly, seem to feature pretty dull topics, at least as far as the average person is concerned. Maybe young people have other priorities, whereas older people enjoy going to these meetings to have a sense of community.

Any ideas on this? Is not having younger people a problem, or is it just a function of factors which can't be controlled?

-- Mat

I would say that it is indeed a problem in terms of having an organized community and political movement to protect the rights of atheists. Offhand, I would guess that the best way to drum up support would be to send out scary mailings about the doings of the religious right wing and about various incidents of persecution of atheists in places other than just the Bible Belt, if you know of such incidents.

I'm not an atheist myself, but I do see organized atheism/humanism as playing a key role in helping to maintain the civil rights of all religious minorities.

 

[DianeVera]

Another thing you could do to attract more people, especially young people, would be to try to sell them on the practical advantages of having a social network of likeminded people. Churchgoers use church-related social networks to help them find jobs, business contacts, reliable babysitters, and so on. Unchurched people could use a similar network of friends.

Also, if they aren't doing so already, humanist groups could hold meetings devoted to various practical topics.

 

[DianeVera]

I just now noticed a thread in the political forum on Center for Inquiry, an opposing movement to campus Christian ministries -- a student group. So apparently the organized atheist/humanist movement does have SOME young people.

 

[Marcion]

I've been to a few meetings of humanists and, by and large, the people who attend these meetings seem to be the above-65 crowd. I've been told that this is largely a function of who has time to attend meetings rather than who actually holds humanistic beliefs, but it seems to be a universal problem for humanist groups that they don't have any/enough young members.

Could it be a matter of content? Most humanist meetings, frankly, seem to feature pretty dull topics, at least as far as the average person is concerned. Maybe young people have other priorities, whereas older people enjoy going to these meetings to have a sense of community.

Any ideas on this? Is not having younger people a problem, or is it just a function of factors which can't be controlled?

-- Mat

The climate crisis and heightened awareness of the interconnectedness of all life forms and ecological systems calls for a modernisation or expansion of Humanism into Neo-Humanism. Not just the welfare of the human species should be put centre stage, doing so has resulted in the mess we are in now.