Six Shared Humanities

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” This quote, from Mahatma Gandhi, suggests that humanity is not to be judged by the wrong-doing minority of the world, but by the unity that we all hold as one. Humans are a vastly unique species that is truly separate from the rest of animal kingdom not only on a biological level, but a mental level as well. Our consciousness of the world around us and our effects on it, as well as our self-awareness of our own feelings and desires are what truly make us humans. One interpretation of this consciousness is known as the six shared humanities. These humanities, comprised of relationships, loss, survival, morals, choice, and emotions, are the base of human thoughts and are what bring us together as a species. Literature and media, two important parts of our societal structure, constantly portray these 6 in their content. Three pieces of work that do so are the novels How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff and It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, as well as the short film Worst Film Ever. All three of these pieces contain at least some, if not all six shared humanities, which come to be very important elements to …show more content…
These characteristics, also known as shared humanities, are what make our species as unique and special as it is. These humanities bring us together as one, and have been important factors in how we view ourselves. They influence our thoughts and decisions, and help shape who we are as individuals as well. All 6 of these humanities: relationships, loss, morals, choice, survival, and emotions, are depicted in many works of literature. The books How I Live Now and It’s Kind of a Funny Story, as well as the short film Worst Film Ever all exemplify these humanities, and make the viewer not only think of how they affect the stories, but how they tie into real life as