The FUNdamentalist HUMANifesto
A joyful case for laughter, humanity and a little more common sense.
I think you’ll very much enjoy The FUNdamentalist HUMANifesto by Swami Beyondananda. It has been one of my favorite pieces of writing for such a long time.
It is funny, irreverent and wonderfully ridiculous yet underneath all the laughter there is a surprisingly serious message about humanity, compassion, power and the simple possibility that we might do things differently.
So rather than merely telling you about it, I’ve given the manifesto a little more room to shine.
Below, you’ll find the complete Credo of the The Right-To-Laugh Party, together with a vintage-style poster version you can enjoy and a PDF you can keep.
The FUNdamentalist HUMANifesto: Credo of the The Right-To-Laugh Party
We believe that every born “feed-us” has the right to laugh, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, unless of course happiness is a warm gun, in which case some restrictions may apply.
We have the right to laugh at our leaders, particularly those times when their actions are either seriously foolish or foolishly serious.
We have the right to help them laugh with each other and at themselves, and we propose creating the office of Supreme Court Jester so that someone will tell the President the truth even when everyone else is afraid to.
We have the right to laugh at the ridiculous foolishness of spending more on mass destruction than we spend on mass construction, and at the utter absurdity of doing the same things that haven’t worked in the past – and expecting them to work in the future.
Laughing children make happy adults and happy adults make a happier world. Share on XWe seek to extend this Right to Laugh all across the globe as a “people tenderizer” and prerequisite for civil discourse and constructive action.
Imagine Robin Williams or Whoopi Goldberg or Chris Rock or Patch Adams being flown in to warm up a chilly negotiation between countries.
Imagine delegates at the United Nations beginning their sessions with the Hokey Pokey … everyone having a fully-opened “clown chakra” before negotiating .. now that’s what it’s all about!
Although we are enthusiastically pro-laugh, we are pro-choice as well. We respect each and every individual’s right not to laugh. If you want to be miserable, go right ahead. Whatever makes you happy.
But we are concerned when people are not laughing because of unnecessary suffering that could be easily alleviated. Especially children not laughing.
When a child isn’t laughing … well, it’s just not funny.
Laughing children make happy adults and happy adults make a happier world. A happier world means more laughing children.
And this is how we strengthen the laugh force … and raise the laugh expectancy … on the planet.
Yes, the problem is serious. But the solution may very well be humorous. For if, as most of us suspect, there’s something funny going on, what better than comedy to deal with it?
The Right To Laugh movement is about replacing helplessness, hopelessness and fear with encouragement and empowerment. We aim to shine the light of laughter on the world’s shadow, especially those poorly-lit corridors of power, and use levity to overcome gravity.
May we all wake up laughing, and leave laughter in our wake.
For surely, the Farce is with us!
Want to keep a copy of the manifesto?
Read or save your own copy of the complete manifesto as a PDF.
If this manifesto has made you smile, think a little differently or simply wonder whether the world might benefit from a great deal more laughter, then I hope you’ll enjoy finding out more about the people behind it.
Read a little background information about the author (ad) Swami Beyondananda and (ad) About Steve Bhaerman.
Be certain to (ad) visit Wake Up Laughing and collect your (ad) daily Laughsitive.
Thank you also very much Forward Steps subscriber, Diane S. (you know who you are and why I say thank you).
Hi, I'm Thea Westra at Forward Steps (forwardstepsblog.com)
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