What are the basic dignities that each human being deserves and why do we let so many people go without them?

Question

This question was asked at the Dropping Knowledge event on 9th
September by Claire Mackintosh, 25, Brisbane, Australia.

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Answer 1

Human dignity is a very subjective area. Those who are well off may have the idea that one must earn certain respects while those less fortunate may feel that they have the right to those same ideals.

Humans should have the right to life. If a human wishes to live he or she should be given that opportunity if it is possible. On that same toking, humans should have the right to take their own life with or without the help of others. Some faiths say that this is not an option. I am talking from an individual human's point of view. No one should be forced to do what he or she does not want, even if it is living.

To sustain a quality of life worth living one must be given the dignity of basic needs. But these basic needs may require some effort on the part of the individual. Some of these needs are air, water, food, shelter,sex, and safety.

Beyond the right to life and basic needs humans should be given the opportunity to earn higher dignities through a comprehensive education system.

It should be unlawful for one to deny another of their dignity.

Best Regards
Jon

Answer 2

This is a very broad topic and a mere list of 'dignities' would not suffice here. There are many aspects to this topic, that has a full potential of becoming a debate in all societies and social settings, most of which has been have been well studied and used as foundation of common understanding of human rights and civil legislations thereupon.

I would not go into that detail. I would be very concise if I say that there is no concept of human dignity without a purpose to human life a life without a purpose is already verges upon disgrace. Now, why do we let many people go without their dignities? The reason that I see right now is again in the matters of purpose that endow meaningfulness to human life. Where there are common purposes, and vested interests due to that, the stronger purposes overrule the weaker ones. People with weaker or unclear purposes in life end up falling into other people's plans, and this is no dignified state of being. Whereas, the people with stronger purposes gain power and control. They often become judgemental, their purpose being the chief merit for credits. They are more likely to dehumanise individuals as the purpose grow larger than their own life. To them if someone in not instrumental to their purpose that someone is a meaningless entity around. Life that detests gaps, detests purposelessness. This is just what I find through one little window the roots and causes are numerous.

Answer 3

I think it is "THE MOST IMPORTANT" question facing humanity in this 21st century.
The richest have already felt their obligation to share their wealth with the poorest. And the states offering best welfare to thier citizens are beginning to cut down on welfare and have to find the minimum that they must provide.

I will not talk about food, shelter, clothing and medicine. These are the bare minimum. Providing these is more like charity - giving away. And the beneficiary survives only until he is provided regularly with these elements.

What we need is the provision of self dependance.
In the captitalist democracies developing around the world - education is the best tool to level the ground for a fair game.
But education from books is not enough - technology sharing is the key. Once each 18 year olds have somewhat same level of education and technological skills - the world over, humans will start enjoying the most peaceful times all.
The most advantageous youth have the network of Australia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Britain to travel to, work and live comfortably because of the similarity in culture and Language. Indian Youth aspire to join this club.

So the answer is Education - especially of Technologically - for economic independance.

EnJoy

Answer 4

The reason that some have to go without the basic dignities such as food, shelter and the right to be happy and treated equal is because there are a lot of selfish, lying government employees who have agendas that are profitable to only them and their cronies. CPS is a prime example of what I mean by taking away innocent parents and childrens rights to be a family unit when no abuse has occurred. It is a huge industry now that makes millions of dollars off of our innocent children. Some families are torn asunder due to their inability to make ends meet, like the basic dignities I believe you are asking about. Tearing families apart makes a lot of people rich and the money is usually tax exempt. The more children taken makes for future job security for these agencies who have been given incentives to rip apart these families with federal funding. Instead of having to pay cps workers, attornies, therapists, etc., it would be much better for these agencies to assist those families with financial help.The entire system is awful, bilking millions of dollars out of the federal government when those millions could help poorer families without making future messed up adult children of the system out of these kids. I feel the biggest basic dignity is the right to raise your children as you see fit. If true abuse occurs, let law enforcement handle it. CPS and their agencies are draining the social security coffers with their rampant destruction of our families. There is no dignity in that whatsoever. And the parents as well as the traumatized children are robbed of any dignity they may have had. Kind of long winded but dignity starts with helping those in need, not causing a lifetime of pain on families with children and turning those children into adults who have no respect for themselves or the law.

Answer 5

The basic dignities a human being deserves is to be loved, needed and respected, everything Else would fall into line like food, housing, etc because with out the above nothing else can matters

Answer 6

The basic dignities that every human being deserves, include respect -- acknowledgement of the fact that each of us is a unique entity, and each, in some way, can make a contribution to society as a whole.
Every human on this earth deserves to know that he or she will have food, and shelter, and to exist in safety.
That's a very tall order. It means we have to overcome violence, overcome what some people regard as the natural instinct of the strong to take advantage of the weak; overcome our fear of 'different' people, whether their differences include the minimal difference of a spot of pigment, or the major difference of a major physical or mental problem. Some surprisingly clear thinking sometimes comes from 'troubled' minds.
We have to be more willing to share. It's easy to be complacent, and mouth thoughts such as these, when most of us are seldom in the position of coming face to face with people whose needs are so great and compelling. We watch displaced persons in encampments on another continent, and for the two minutes of the TV news report, we feel compassion. But we never lift our duffs off the chesterfield and move in any way to actually help them.
So the first, and largest step in showing more compassion is to overcome the inertia that so often cripples our good intentions.

Answer 7

Basic human dignities are hard to define. At birth we have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (not to be too constitutional). However in a larger society the extent of those rights can vary. Additionally other rights may be inherent as part of their being part of the society.

The frustrating piece of this discussion is that human society is that inherent rights of humans in the society can be drastically different. What we feel are human rights may be non-existent in another culture.

There are some societies that seem to be outside of what most societies agree upon. Most societies agree that people have a right to not be murdered or stolen from, for example. There are societies that seemingly deny this right. In truth they do not deny the right the simply disagree on the definition of the right.

Answer 8

Havingness, Beingness, and Doingness are the basic dignities. If you decide not to have then you have nothing or have less than those you compare yourself to. If you decide not to be then you will not (this could include death). If you decide not to do then you do not and become nothing. Have you ever heard the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink"? You may say that poor people deserve better but why don't you ask them if they want more? People who are depressed go get a pill from the doctor to make them not depressed. They have decided to be depressed and will continue to be so until they decide not to be. If you want something, you go get it. If you don't get it, it's because you don't want it bad enough.

Answer 9

Every person is entitled to respect, privacy, honesty, assistance when in need, an education that empowers and enriches, the right to choose the direction of one's life and the right to say no to a life that doesn't fullfill needs, desires, and doesn't allow enough room for dreaming and the opportunity for dreams to be realized. These dignities feed the soul. The lack of them creates an inner dissention that bites away at the soul.

No one country has the ability to change the world, to give it's inhabitants all they need or even the minimum they require to sustain life. This is a global responsibility. Everyone does what they can, from individuals to groups to nations, perhaps the answer is to reduce the population of the world. This would require the ability to self-sacrifice, to not procreate in order to initiate a future free of deprivation. To end one's family line in order that those who live on and come after are allowed the dignities that every living creature deserves.

Answer 10

Because lake of understanding the human values, people behave like this. Dont hurt others for anything weather u like or not. Give respect. Take respect. This is the minimum curtesy. People wont change. We have to be in good human being groups like spirital gurus.