What we’re about
Welcome to Human Hearted Sydney.
We’ve changed our name to Human Hearted Sydney - we’re still the same community.
We are a supportive, inclusive community of people with shared values in the Sydney metropolitan area. We are founded on the principle of human hearted connection and compassion to support each other in solving life’s problems. More about human heartedness here or here
We are a local community of Humanists Australia. Humanism is more than just a 'lack of religious belief', its a positive life stance. Human heartedness is a humanistic approach to living a better life.
All are welcome to participate in our human hearted community of practice and our other in-person events and projects to learn, connect and contribute to a flourishing world.
We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Note: Attendees at our events are expected to adhere to the Humanists Australia Code of Conduct. We do not allow harassment of any kind, or promotion of any goods, services or groups unrelated to humanism (except by prior permission of the organisers).
Unless stated otherwise membership of Humanists Australia is not required to attend our events. We want to serve the broad Sydney community. Nonetheless we would be grateful if you chose to make a donation to sustain Humanists Australia which would help it to continue delivering events that serve the community in Sydney.
Event summary:
This is the monthly meeting of our human hearted community of practice (COP). The COP is both a support group, and a mutual encouragement group, for people who want to explore living a more human hearted life. The COP is part of Human Hearted Sydney's goal of building community. Interested new members of the COP are welcome.
Who is the COP for ?
The COP is for people who dislike the alienation and emptiness of our modern finance driven society, and are looking for a new form of community - one based on the reality of our human social capacities such as sympathy and friendship, rather than based on returning to religion and other traditional practices. If you would like to be part of building a supportive community for living out socially positive values in today’s world we encourage you to come along and check it out.
Some background: The meaning problem modern society faces -
The development of modern society has seen the destruction of earlier systems of meaning, like religion and tradition. They have not been replaced by a new set of ethics or community, but by market values and hyper individualism. This has created a world of material wealth in which far too many people feel insecure, alone, and unlikely to succeed. We now live in an atomised society in which each person suffers alone and there is no form of community, or meaning other than material wealth, to sustain them. This has led to substantial increases in loneliness and mental health issues like anxiety in modern society. Now there is even a category called ‘deaths of despair’ that refers to people whose reliance on drugs, alcohol etc. to numb their isolation from society leads to their early death.
More background: The solution we will look at -
The obvious solution to the collapse of values in modern society is to build alternative forms of community. Many groups try to achieve this by calling for a return to religious values, or building new religions. As humanists we do not turn to religion but the best of the human potential to provide a foundation for community groups.
Human heartedness is an approach to life which sees humans as inherently social beings. It is backed both by many famous thinkers of the past, and by the findings of recent neuroscience and evolutionary studies which show the path to human happiness and fulfillment is more dependent on building good relationships and positive social connection than on competition and being purely ‘rational’.
So one part of the solution to the existential emptiness of modernity is for people to build small communities; groups of like minded people who want to live in a more human hearted way, and support each other to live better in the face of modernity’s onslaught. There are other parts of the solution of course. However in relation to this event our focus is on setting up a COP to support each other to practice living in a more human hearted way, and to provide communal support generally in today’s disenchanted world.
Basic structure of this meeting:
The meeting will be facilitated by a member of the Sydney humanist community and will involve a brief talk explaining human heartedness and the problems of modernity. Then we will proceed to conduct our regular COP meeting. The meeting will finish with a Q/A and discussion period, followed by a lunch and more informal discussion.
Donations:
While this event is free, we would be grateful if you chose to make a donation to sustain Humanists Australia which would help it to continue delivering events that serve the community in Sydney.
Please note Date Time and Venue:
Meeting date is Sunday 01/12/2024; as per our usual practice of meeting on the first Sunday of the month. Meeting time is 11:30am at Darling Square Library. The room we'll be in is called Idea Space 2
Directions:
The venue is a ten minute walk from both Town Hall and Central station. The Darling Square Library is part of a hive-shaped building called The Exchange. The Idea Spaces are on level one of The Darling Square Library which is accessible via elevators facing towards Darling Square and stairs which are on the other side of the building. Please see the photos on the event page if you need assistance finding the entrance.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Coffee & Chat @ Coro88Coro88 - Nelsons Café, Burwood
Event Summary:
Curious about what it means to be Human Hearted?Or perhaps you just want a cup of coffee with new people in a relaxing atmosphere.
Come gather with Human Hearted Sydney in Burwood to connect and converse with like-minded people over a cup of coffee. We'll be in the cafe for around two hours or so, or longer depending on how people feel. We usually grab lunch in the cafe or afterwards go to any of the restaurants in Burwood if people are feeling hungry.
Time, place and date:
The venue is Nelsons Cafe in Burwood. It's next door to Coro88, near Burwood Park, and is a short walk from Burwood station. We're usually there from 11:30am for around two to three hours every third Sunday of the month.Connecting to our values:
This event is part of living out Human Hearted Sydney's values of positive social connection and building community in Sydney. So lets meet and connect with those we already know, and those we haven't met before. All are welcome to socialise, meet new people, and build friendships.Not open - Human hearted community of practice (COP)Darling Square Library, Sydney
Event summary:
This is the monthly meeting of our human hearted community of practice (COP). The COP is both a support group, and a mutual encouragement group, for people who want to explore living a more human hearted life. The COP is part of Human Hearted Sydney's goal of building community. Interested new members of the COP are welcome.Who is the COP for ?
The COP is for people who dislike the alienation and emptiness of our modern finance driven society, and are looking for a new form of community - one based on the reality of our human social capacities such as sympathy and friendship, rather than based on returning to religion and other traditional practices. If you would like to be part of building a supportive community for living out socially positive values in today’s world we encourage you to come along and check it out.Some background: The meaning problem modern society faces -
The development of modern society has seen the destruction of earlier systems of meaning, like religion and tradition. They have not been replaced by a new set of ethics or community, but by market values and hyper individualism. This has created a world of material wealth in which far too many people feel insecure, alone, and unlikely to succeed. We now live in an atomised society in which each person suffers alone and there is no form of community, or meaning other than material wealth, to sustain them. This has led to substantial increases in loneliness and mental health issues like anxiety in modern society. Now there is even a category called ‘deaths of despair’ that refers to people whose reliance on drugs, alcohol etc. to numb their isolation from society leads to their early death.More background: The solution we will look at -
The obvious solution to the collapse of values in modern society is to build alternative forms of community. Many groups try to achieve this by calling for a return to religious values, or building new religions. As humanists we do not turn to religion but the best of the human potential to provide a foundation for community groups.Human heartedness is an approach to life which sees humans as inherently social beings. It is backed both by many famous thinkers of the past, and by the findings of recent neuroscience and evolutionary studies which show the path to human happiness and fulfillment is more dependent on building good relationships and positive social connection than on competition and being purely ‘rational’.
So one part of the solution to the existential emptiness of modernity is for people to build small communities; groups of like minded people who want to live in a more human hearted way, and support each other to live better in the face of modernity’s onslaught. There are other parts of the solution of course. However in relation to this event our focus is on setting up a COP to support each other to practice living in a more human hearted way, and to provide communal support generally in today’s disenchanted world.
Basic structure of this meeting:
The meeting will be facilitated by a member of the Sydney humanist community and will involve a brief talk explaining human heartedness and the problems of modernity. Then we will proceed to conduct our regular COP meeting. The meeting will finish with a Q/A and discussion period, followed by a lunch and more informal discussion.Donations:
While this event is free, we would be grateful if you chose to make a donation to sustain Humanists Australia which would help it to continue delivering events that serve the community in Sydney.Please note Date Time and Venue:
Meeting date is Sunday 01/12/2024; as per our usual practice of meeting on the first Sunday of the month. Meeting time is 11:30am at Darling Square Library. The room we'll be in is called Idea Space 2Directions:
The venue is a ten minute walk from both Town Hall and Central station. The Darling Square Library is part of a hive-shaped building called The Exchange. The Idea Spaces are on level one of The Darling Square Library which is accessible via elevators facing towards Darling Square and stairs which are on the other side of the building. Please see the photos on the event page if you need assistance finding the entrance.
