Do you live by the Golden Rule?

Question

Is it just to treat others like I would want to be treated? Isn't that being selfish to think that everyone else wants to be treated like I do?

Answer 1

It means to respect others as you wish to be respected.

Plain and simple. If you do not want to be respected, fine. But for most people respect is a basic need that is part of every aspect of their lives. I believe in karma and, since what goes around comes around, figure I might as well rack up some gold stars while I can.

And yes, I do follow it. Almost to a painful degree. My ethics are high and I hold myself to them as best I can. Even if those around me are not so ethical, I only am concerned about how I act because I am not responsible for their behaviours.

Answer 2

The Golden Rule is rather simplistically phrased, but as thinking, rational people, we can generalize from the rule to life. I interpret the rule as treat others respectfully and they will treat you well, also.
I believe in Cause and Effect. People can state that pretty simplistically as well. How literally someone takes either of these concepts depends on their experience and education. Believing in cause and effect, I believe if someone takes the life of another, they will suffer equally. That doesn't necesarily mean I think they will be killed, or that the results of their actions will be immediate. I do, however, believe they will get what they deserve at some time, or, maybe, over the course of time in many events.
Being literal shows up here, too. I don't believe that if I give you a glass of tea at my house, you have to give me a glass of tea at your house. My mother loves yellow and I love purple. If we were to interpret those concepts literally, I would have to keep giving her something yellow, which would then mean she would have to give me something, the same thing, yellow, too. How long would it take for me to figure out that she didn't care how I felt about purple, that the real message was that everything had to be yellow? That's not respect, it's distain. So I return a gift of respect with respect. And, no, I don't measure it. Nor do I try to measure who gives how much. I just give freely and accept with appreciation.

Answer 3

My golden rule is a little different. but for your sake....


Treating others how you want to be treated. I like the feeling of sharp things cutting my skin. Should i stab someone... i think that is what you are getting at....

Yeah it is conceited to believe that everyone wants hat you want. Then again i would be willing to believe that it is a general basis from where to start out at. You can't know someone till you get to know them. So when you meet them you know what you like done for a greeting and would extend the same. However, when you find their position it should be respected.

If you go door to door selling god to people at 6:00 A.M. then i would think that you would get some slammed doors in the face. Especially if you happen across someone who works at night and just go to sleep. If they open the door and act kindly to you then you don't really need to be there at 6:00 A.M. seems to me that they are all ready happy or of your opinion so whats the point other than to test people.

Anyway, use the idea as a general reference to greeting and carry on until you find their personal quirks...

Answer 4

Well, it's just a rule that if you want to have goodness in this life, you oughta' plant goodness also, so you will harvest goodness also. It's not being selfish but it's the way of living in what matters most too: Loving yourself before loving the others.

Answer 5

I live by this rule in a general sense, in accordance with modern standards and decorum. That way, the golden rule doesn't rely on my own behavior as a standard of reference. I can keep selfishness out of the equation.

Answer 6

Impressive question... my STAR!!

It is a broad based guidance rule that is reasonably applicable for adult minds in general.... but does not stand fine scrutiny for others.

It is based on the assumption that everyone wants the same way to be treated by others.... as I stated earlier, it applies reasonably well to adult-mind... I mean adult in the mind or matured minds. There are a lot of people who are of some different mentality.... for instance, some are child-like whose expectation of a security oriented treatment by others can not be replicated to adult-minded people who will see it as commanding and forbearing.

In the final analysis, the golden rule should be to treat everyone as he/she wants to be treated... difficult to know and follow..... but there are no easy ways to perfection!!!

I believe you are trying to convey this same view and of course I agree totally.

Answer 7

i try to live by it, which is hard sometimes because there are such mean people in the world!!! but yea, it is selfish if you think of how the golden rule plays outs... but then again, the whole world is selfish enough anyway, might as well add some 'goodness' to it... RIGHT?! lol.

Answer 8

I have always tried to live by the Golden Rule, The Ten Commandments and to do my best to build good memories.

When we are old, we live on our memories.

Thanks for the question.

Answer 9

golden rule is good basic of a culture yet it has some exceptions as some people preffer being a mesochist (pleasure themselves with pain) but that doesnt mean they will also treat others with pain. yet i preffer kant's philosophy, if you do research, it deffinately tells you how to make moral desicions and lead a right path to life.

Answer 10

Unless your a real pervert, I would describe treating others as you want to be treated as "loving" rather than selfish.