Reclaiming Humanity from Politics: A Call to Remember Who We Are

By Roshan Jayasinghe

In today’s world, we are witnessing a deep fracture not just between political parties or ideologies, but between what we are told to believe and what we instinctively know to be true.

We are human beings first. And yet, the political arena has become a theater where our humanness is buried under headlines, labels, and strategic manipulation. Conversations that should be rooted in care, dignity and truth about poverty, education, health, housing, land, water or energy are hijacked and repackaged as divisive issues.

When did we start believing that kindness is political?

When someone speaks about equality, justice, or compassion, they are accused of pushing an agenda. When we talk about feeding children, providing homes, honoring cultural identities, protecting the earth or ensuring every person has access to clean water and electricity, we are told to “stay in our lane” or “not make it political.”

But isn’t politics simply the system by which we organize how we live together?

The problem is not that these issues are political. The problem is how they’ve been politicized and weaponized to divide us, distract us and keep us from reclaiming our rightful power as humans working together for the common good.

We’ve watched race become a wedge, instead of a rich truth to be celebrated. We’ve watched religion be exploited, not to elevate souls but to gain votes. We’ve watched gender identity be twisted into controversy, when it’s simply a call to let every human live in alignment with their truth, their values and their opinions.

We’ve allowed political systems to convince us that these aspects of our identities, our skin color, our gender, our faith, our economic status define our worth or our “side.” But in truth, these are threads in the magnificent tapestry of humanity. Not lines that divide us but rather magnificient colors that complete us.

We have forgotten that we are all nature’s products birthed from the same earth, breathing the same air and sustained by the same resources.

No child is born with hatred. No elder takes their final breath clinging to their ideology. What matters in the beginning and what endures in the end is love, connection, belonging and peace.

So why do we treat these as political liabilities instead of shared human values?

Because somewhere along the line, power became more profitable than unity, fear became a tool and politics instead of serving humanity, began to exploit it.

But we all do have a choice. We can reclaim the conversation.

We can bring humanness back to the forefront of every political discussion, refusing to let issues like poverty, education, housing, gender, race, religion or identity be used to divide us.

We can stand in the truth that:
• Every human deserves dignity, safety and opportunity.
• Our differences are not threats, they are teachings.
• The earth and its resources are not commodities for the few but rather they are sacred and shared.
• Political leadership should be stewardship, not supremacy.

We can raise a new standard where governance is measured not by GDP alone, but by human well-being, ecological balance, and cultural harmony. This is not naive. This is necessary. We must have the courage to speak not just from facts, but from truth. Not just from intellect, but from wisdom. Not just from fear, but from fierce love.

Let us begin the conversation. Not to debate one another but rather to remember one another. Not to defend the systems but rather to reimagine them. Because at the heart of every system, policy, and institution, there should be one guiding question: “Does this honor our shared humanity?”

If it doesn’t, then it’s time for something new.

Editor’s Note:

In an era marked by growing division and systemic mistrust, Roshan Jayasinghe brings a deeply personal and universally resonant perspective on the urgent need to reclaim our shared humanity. Drawing from a conversation filled with frustration and hope, this article is a heartfelt invitation to shift political discourse from polarization to unity, from fear to compassion. It challenges us to reexamine the systems we’ve normalized and to imagine new ones that honor the dignity of all people.

About the Author

Roshan Jayasinghe is a humanist thinker and emerging writer based in California. With a background in administration and a deep passion for social equity, he explores the intersections of politics, identity, and compassion through a lens grounded in nature’s own self-correcting wisdom.

Roshan Jayasinghe

Rooted in the belief that humanity can realign with the natural order where balance, regeneration, and interdependence are inherent. Roshan’s reflections invite readers to pause, question, and reimagine the systems we live within. His writing seeks not to impose answers, but to spark thought and awaken a deeper awareness of our shared human journey. Roshan will be sharing weekly articles that gently challenge, inspire, and reconnect us to what matters most.