Human Hearted Sydney

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 They have not been replaced by a new set of ethics or community, but by market values and hyper individualism.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:
In August 2026 the meeting will be held on the second Sunday of the month (August 9th) at 11:00AM. The venue is level one of 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 ask the library staff if you need assistance finding where we are in the library.

Interested in meeting new people ? Or refreshing existing friendships with members of our human hearted Sydney community? Or curious about what it means to be Human Hearted?

Then why not come along and join us. This month we're planning a gentle scenic walk around Watson’s Bay and and along the South Head heritage trail as our our social event. The total distance shouldn't be more than about five kilometres and we'll be going at a gentle pace. The walk will include some great harbour views and pass by a lighthouse.
Our goal is to enjoy the walk and the view, and socialise as we walk.

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.

Meeting Point:
We'll meet at the land end of the Ferry Wharf at Watson's Bay, near the fish and chip shop there. The plan is to gather there at 11:00 and then do the walk. The walk should take about an hour and a half, and bring us back to our starting point. After the walk we'll look for a place for lunch. People are welcome to do the walk only, or also join us for lunch.

Human Hearted Sydney is committed to contributing to our community. We are planning to participate in Strathfield Council’s Bushcare program, which involves volunteers helping with bushland maintenance and restoration, or simply focusing on rubbish removal in public parks. Details at https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/Participate/Bushcare

The next event in this program is on Saturday September 5 from 9:00am to 12 midday at Bressington Park. Volunteers meet at the Bressington Park car park. The registration page is at https://events.humanitix.com/2026-strathfield-council-bushcare-program
Some of us will be volunteering that day, and we warmly invite others to volunteer with us. If you’d like to join us on this activity please register through the registration page at the url above, RSVP for this meetup and then post a comment here that you have registered. Then we’ll know who is coming and how many people to look out for.

(Note - We don't know how many places are left for Saturday September 5 so register soon if you can)

We hope to see you there.