How do we want to be treated? I think the bulk of us wish to be regarded with goodness, respect, compassion, and understanding. But do we offer those same things to others?
The premise is better known as The Golden Rule, and today, Linda Stowe considers some aspects of this “rule” that we may not have considered.
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The Golden Rule by Linda Stowe
The other day I was thinking about the Golden Rule, the principle that we treat others as we would want to be treated. Our culture sets great store in the Golden Rule, and we are taught to follow this rule from an early age. It’s why we grow up with such a strong sense of fairness. Americans are proud that our system of government is based on the Rule of Law, that all men are treated equally under the law.
So, I was wondering whether the Golden Rule is a universal ethic. According to Google, it is not. This is because not all cultures view human nature in the same way. Some cultures teach that people are inherently good, and we should repay that beneficence in kind. Other cultures believe that people are inherently selfish. If we believe that people are selfish and greedy by nature, then it makes sense to be competitive and aggressive to survive.
It was at this point where I began to realize that an alarmingly large segment of our own population fits into this second category. Perhaps they do not believe that others are inherently good because they themselves are not good. I personally believe that people are born with a good heart. It’s when they are taught to hate and mistrust others that they turn dark and the rule they follow is no longer golden.
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There is a lot to consider in this piece.
But what strikes me is the internal dilemma. I want to be treated well, yet sometimes, I find it difficult to “deal” with those people who I deem to be acting with hatred or malevolence. Or downright stupidity. I’m not sure what the answer is when I face these situations — how to address people who are insufferable in my eyes. I don’t wish them any harm. And mostly, I try to stay out of their way. But many times, I have little or no “understanding” for their actions.
I suppose it might be as the Dalai Lama once said: “And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
It’s golden. It’s the rule. Golden Rule by Linda Stowe
