Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism

Publisher: In-Sight Publishing

Publisher Founding: March 1, 2014

Web Domain: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com

Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Journal: In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal

Journal Founding: August 2, 2012

Frequency: Three (3) Times Per Year

Review Status: Non-Peer-Reviewed

Access: Electronic/Digital & Open Access

Fees: None (Free)

Volume Numbering: 12

Issue Numbering: 3

Section: A

Theme Type: Idea

Theme Premise: “Outliers and Outsiders”

Theme Part: 31

Formal Sub-Theme: None

Individual Publication Date: August 1, 2024

Issue Publication Date: September 1, 2024

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Word Count: 1,423

Image Credits: None.

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2369-6885

*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citations, after the publication.*

Abstract

Anya Overmann’s biography states: “My work as a writer is driven by human rights activism and progressive values. I work with people and businesses who care about ethics. To learn more about the work I do for clients, head over here. My professional and personal life are integrally woven together by this drive to help people. I was raised attending the Ethical Society of St. Louis, where I formed a deep secular belief in the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings.I’m a former President of Young Humanists International, a current Board member of the American Ethical Union, and a member of the American Humanist Association. I work with Atheists United in Los Angeles to produce The Nomadic Humanist.” Overmann discusses:  nomadic humanism; countries travelled; pieces on ethical culture, humanism, white supremacy, and domination of global culture; institutional humanism and nomadic humanism; conflict resolution processes; difficulties; inspirations; and an upcoming memoir.

Keywords: Anya Overmann, Conatus News, conflict resolution processes, Ethical Culture movement, nomadic humanist, secular domain, Uncommon Ground Media, white supremacy culture.

Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: We are back today with Anya Overmann! You’ve been making more changes than most people I know in this secular domain. Typically, people exist in communities for a long time and don’t change much, or encounter a controversy and leave and are never seen again, or lose interest and fade into another movement, or try to move up in an organization, or re-convert to some theistic religious view. A big shift into secularism, for me, was Benjamin David, who left activism for something in the world of fintech, of Conatus News. I was, basically, just farting around writing in my spare time. Conatus News transitioned into Uncommon Ground Media Ltd., incorporated and under Dan Fisher, now. A bunch of great feminist and and humanist women writers came out of it, e.g., Sarah Kahly-Mills, Linda L., Tara Abhasakun, Pamela S. Machado, and others. I was lucky to be among them. I wish they wrote and used their talents more! Amazingly, a woman who, in fact, connected me to Benjamin David ended up leaving activism, insofar as I could tell, and then, much later, popped up in the news–maybe, the Daily Mail–getting a charge or multiple charges for stalking a lover or an ex-lover. Like, wow! That’s dramatic. As I mentioned to Alavari Jeevathol in Humanism Now, you are one of the reasons of connecting to the Americans and the Europeans, and the international youth humanist movement, along with some of the aforementioned. (Funnily enough, if you listen to the end of that interview–yours was right after mine, I was so tired in between shifts working with the horses at the time. I was on lunch break. I paused a long while in one of the last responses–too funny. The equivalent of “uhhhhmmmmmmm…”) So, Anya, now and for the last while, you have self-defined as a “nomadic humanist.” What is a nomadic humanist?

Anya Overmann: Hello, Scott. Thanks for the opportunity to share here. Yes, I have been making some big changes. I have departed from organized humanism and the Ethical Culture movement, which I was raised in from age 5 and have dedicated much of my life to. I think you’re right in that many people who exit these movements and organizations are often not heard from or seen again. However, I’ve decided to take a different tack and write a memoir about my experiences in these spaces and why I left. Yes, I have self-defined as a “nomadic humanist” for the past few years as I have been living nomadically (no home base with remote work income and the ability to move around the world) while also identifying as and associating with humanists. But now that I am no longer associating with humanists, I am going through some questioning of my identity. I don’t know whether or not I am a humanist anymore. To be clear, though, I’m not converting to any other religion. 

Jacobsen: You have done a lot of travel in the midst of doing this lifestyle. What countries have been the best for a traveling writer and nomadic humanist?

Overmann: The countries that have had the most significant impact on my worldview are countries that have been stolen from by countries in the Global North. Living in Latin America has helped me understand how much my education left out and how evil the US government actually is. 

Jacobsen: Which pieces of writing are you most proud?

Overmann: Right now, one of the pieces I’m most proud of is this piece about how white supremacy culture can be addressed in humanism and Ethical Culture. It took a lot to write this, but I think people need to really analyze the roots of these movements and understand that they are not immune to the larger systems of domination in global culture. This piece is intended to start a conversation about earnestly addressing these things, however, it was not received very well by the audiences for which it was intended. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m proud of it.

Jacobsen: How does nomadic humanism better suit you than institutional humanism or ethical culture?

Overmann: Being a (privileged, white US-passport-holding) nomad allows me to live a lifestyle unconstrained by the US borders. It is my belief that everyone should have the right to move freely throughout the world with no regard for borders, but this is not treated as a right in our world — it’s treated as a privilege with highly inequitable access. In any case, I am grateful to be able to live this lifestyle because it has given me exposure to “the real world” that I never had with institutional humanism and Ethical Culture. As internationally relevant as these organizations believe their movements to be, there is a lot of white, Western capitalist bias embedded in these movements. It has been my experience that these organizations are not interested in earnestly addressing these biases and will even go so far as to bully and mistreat those who attempt to address these biases in leadership. They are, instead, interested in performative action to build a facade of objectivity and alignment with their values. I don’t feel good about associating with organizations that don’t want to earnestly address these biases but also want to spread their influence to the rest of the globe. It’s very colonial. It’s two-faced. 

Jacobsen: What could secular institutions learn or use with regards to conflict resolution processes?

Overmann: This is a great question. First of all, these institutions have no conflict resolution processes. That should be a major red flag for anyone looking to join these organizations. You cannot build a healthy community without conflict-resolution skills. So, obviously, these institutions need to develop those processes, but they also need to do some serious reflection on why these institutions have existed for multiple decades without having these processes. Why would multiple secular organizations that claim to acknowledge the fallibility of human beings not think to develop conflict resolution processes for multiple decades? I have my own answers to that question, but I would rather not taint the suggestion to reflect on that question with my views. I think it’s important for current members of these institutions to engage in this question for themselves. 

I will also say that I attempted to use a restorative justice approach to conflict resolution with both humanist and Ethical Culture institutions, and it was met with great resistance and unwillingness. Again, this points to the theme of these institutions being unwilling to address obvious pain points. None of the conflicts I was involved in amongst folks in these institutions were ever resolved.

Jacobsen: What recommendations would you have for people for whom institutional humanism and ethical culture is better suited for them, and for the institutions themselves?

Overmann: I would strongly recommend that folks read my book when it comes out so they can really understand what my experience was, how my experience relates to the larger cultural experience, and what I think folks in these institutions need to reflect on. 

Jacobsen: What are the difficulties in living a nomadic humanist lifestyle financially and otherwise?

Overmann: This world is not built for those who want to live a nomadic lifestyle. It is built for and incentivizes settling. There are many benefits to settling — there is a bigger potential for building community. That is one of the biggest difficulties of living nomadically: the lack of community. But I’ve found ways to build my own community, across the world, by living nomadically. Financially,  it is difficult because income working for yourself is not always stable. But it helps to live in places where the US dollar goes farther (another privilege wrought with ethical concerns). 

Jacobsen: Who has been an inspiration in living this nomadic humanist lifestyle? What about writers?

Overmann: Honestly, I don’t get along with a lot of other nomads. Most of them do not share my values, which I was pretty surprised to find out. However, I am a big fan of Takudzwa Mazwienduna, who is a humanist from Zimbabwe living as a nomad and working as a writer! 

Jacobsen: What are your upcoming projects?

Overmann: This memoir is my next big project! 

Jacobsen: How can people get in contact with and support you?

Overmann: You can join my email list here: https://anyaovermann.ck.page/email-subscribe

You can email me here: anya@anyaovermann.com 

You can support me here: https://anyaovermann.ck.page/products/anya-overmann 

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Anya.

Overmann: Thanks again, Scott!

Bibliography

None

Footnotes

None

Citations

American Medical Association (AMA 11th Edition): Jacobsen S. Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism. August 2024; 12(3). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism

American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition): Jacobsen, S. (2024, August 1). Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism. In-Sight Publishing. 12(3).

Brazilian National Standards (ABNT): JACOBSEN, S. Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism. In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, Fort Langley, v. 12, n. 3, 2024.

Chicago/Turabian, Author-Date (17th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. 2024. “Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (Summer). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism.

Chicago/Turabian, Notes & Bibliography (17th Edition): Jacobsen, S “Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 3 (August 2024).http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism.

Harvard: Jacobsen, S. (2024) ‘Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, 12(3). <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism>.

Harvard (Australian): Jacobsen, S 2024, ‘Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vol. 12, no. 3, <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism>.

Modern Language Association (MLA, 9th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. “Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism.” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vo.12, no. 3, 2024, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism.

Vancouver/ICMJE: Scott J. Anya Overmann on Nomadic Humanism [Internet]. 2024 Aug; 12(3). Available from: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/overmann-nomadic-humanism.

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