Think about what you would want someone to do for you, and do it for them. Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.
You can probably think of many examples of what you want people to do for you. Our nature is to prefer ourselves over other people. This is part of the beauty of the Golden Rule. When we think about what we want, it becomes quite easy to recognize how to show kindness to others. It may be much more difficult to actually practice, but we cannot claim ignorance to what should be done.
We are to think of what we would have them do to us, knowing what we know now about their situation, not just as we might desire if we were them. For example, when I graduated from high school, I would have happily accepted a car, a house, and an inheritance from my parents. I would have liked for them to treat me that way. Of course not.
My life experience has shown me that my parents would have been actually stunting my personal growth if they had not spurred me on toward college and making my own way. Looking back, what I would have them do for me is different from what it would have been then.
Margaret and I are in a Bible study group together, and she recently shared with me that she had lived on the streets for several years. She lived with addictions that she fed by asking passersby for money. I recently asked Margaret what she does now when people ask her for money on the street. People giving me stuff just kept me living under the bridge!
The virtue of kindness can change your life in more ways than you could imagine. In this article we shed light on its importance and suggest ways of teaching your children through practicing and modeling its hallmarks.
Return To: Home Page Like or Share our site on Facebook. Quick Links. Develop A Thirst For Knowledge. Submit a review of your child's favourite book. To address this issue, a variant of the golden rule has been developed, which is called the platinum rule , and which denotes that you should treat others the way they want to be treated.
However, this principle has also been criticized , for example because it can lead to issues in cases where it prompts you to act toward someone in a way that contradicts your own values.
Note : the platinum rule is sometimes referred to by other names, such as the copper rule or the inversion of the golden rule. Another notable criticism of the golden rule is the fact that, in certain situations, its application can lead to undesirable outcomes, when it conflicts with other guiding principles, including both moral principles as well as other types of principles, such as social or legal ones. For example, if someone is convicted of a crime and sentenced to prison, the golden rule would suggest that we should let them go, because we would not want to be imprisoned ourselves.
This remains the case even if we use the platinum rule, since the prisoner would likely also prefer to avoid going to prison. However, this issue with the golden rule can be dealt with in a general manner, by viewing this principle as one of several principles that we use to guide our behavior as individuals and as a society.
Specifically, in the example described above, the golden rule would not be enough to prevent that person from going to prison, because most individuals and societies choose to place other laws and ethical principles above the golden rule, while still taking the golden rule into account.
Nor, finally, does it contain the ground of strict duties toward others, for the criminal would on this ground be able to dispute with the judges who punish him; and so on.
To do as you would be done by, and to love your neighbour as yourself, constitute the ideal perfection of utilitarian morality. Buddhism: Philosophy or Theology? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.
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