Atheism and Humanism-- are they mutually exclusive?

Lately I've been trying to reconcile my absolute disbelief in Stupid Shit with the fact that atheists and humanists are supposed to be compassionate and caring and empathetic to the human condition. Most famous atheists, like Dawkins, Hitchens, and even Penn Jillette, talk about how human beings are generally decent and good-natured. I have a hard time believing this. Perhaps it's because I see a lot of the dregs of society at my job or because I currently live in a city that is slowly and painfully turning into the Ghetto. I witness many things over the course of my day that do not instill hope in me for humanity's future, and, more than that, actually reinforce the contempt I have for our species.

So when I run across things like this:

I kind of want to scream. Not so much because I disagree with it, but because I don't feel comfortable liking or even re-posting it on my facebook. Mostly, it's because it's a sentiment. I don't consider myself sentimental (some of you may disagree; nostalgic, perhaps, but sentimental?). It's a very nice, encouraging sentiment--that all people everywhere are treated well and have everything they need to live comfortably and happily--but at the end of the day that's all it is. It would be nice if everyone everywhere were lucky enough to have all these things, but 'nice' is not something everyone everywhere deserves, from my point of view. And if these things were magically provided for us all, I doubt it would truly make things better in the long run.

My problem is that I don't have unconditional sympathy for humanity. People continue to remain selfish and willfully ignorant. They continue adhering to misinformation and archaic systems of belief. In many instances, they continue to perpetuate ways of life that would be better with science and reason than tradition and superstition. And who would I be if I had the power to force these aforementioned things on people, regardless of their status and belief and technological advancement? I'd be the enemy. I'd be the antithesis of the person I am trying to be, regardless of what I wish were true about religion and oppression and laws and systems of government.

Worse yet, if these things were provided, there would still be resentment from some groups. If you suddenly gave the Amish all our modern amenities in an attempt to make their lives better, how would they feel about it? Or Muslims in the Middle East? They would take it as an affront to their way of life and see it as the Evil West trying to tell them how to live their lives.

So yes, a nice sentiment. But that's all it is. We can't force an enlightenment. I wish no true ill will to the millions of people out there that I will never meet that live their lives quietly and anonymously. Do I think it's stupid, how many of them live? Yes. But that's their choice. And if they choose to remain ignorant, if they choose to cut themselves off from the rest of the world, if they choose to be superstitious and continue giving power to despots, religious leaders and hate-filled people who prey on their ignorance, that's their choice, too. Fuck 'em.

I'd amend the picture above to say this instead:

"I wish that all my family and friends can live their lives comfortably and happily without want for the things that make life good, whatever they may consider those things to be."

It's not very inclusive, but it's the only wish along those lines I can truthfully make. I don't know all the people the other statement applies to. I don't know what's best for them, and I won't pretend to.

-Swift