ALT A humanist is a person who recognises this life is the one life we know we have, and therefore, resolved to live a moral and fulfilling life in the here and now, based on the inherent human capacity for compassion, and a desire to do good on its own merit. Being a humanist is simply a way of thinking and living that emphasises humanity's capacity and responsibility to promote human flourishing across all frontiers, to protect the natural world, and to work towards a more tolerant society, where rational thinking and kindness prevail.