The Golden Rule ? Sense or Bullshit?

[Red Celt]

There seems to be some confusion about the golden rule. Some seem to be mistaking it for rule utilitarianism. Others, still, are analysing every word in a legalistic sense, rather than the philosophical sense that it was originally intended.

The terminology of doing unto others (and not doing unto others) is about reciprocity.

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

— Confucius, Analects XV.24

And this is in the spirit of reciprocity. You may treat someone within the concepts of the golden rule, with the full knowledge that you will probably never meet them again for the duration of their life or yours. But that doesn't matter. You have contributed to society (no matter how small that contribution is) so as to make it more reciprocal, not less. And that reciprocity can be contagious. If you doubt that, you'll certainly be less doubtful that treating someone like a cunt will make that person a whole lot less likely to be pleasant to the next person that they meet.

OK. Taking it away from the precise wording of the original philosophers who (if they lived today) would provide sub-clauses and explanations for the less philosophical...

You're male. You're on a bus. The bus is fully occupied. A pregnant woman boards the bus. Without any seats, she is standing in the aisle, doing her best to support herself as the bus moves.

Now, Confucius wouldn't be confused about what you should do next. It isn't a matter of treating others as if you were them. You're male. You can't get pregnant. There's no reason for you to stand up and let her have your seat. At least not if you don't understand the concept of the golden rule.

As has already been said, the key to the golden rule is empathy. What would you want to happen if you were her? If you were (obviously and visibly) pregnant? If you were tired from carrying the extra weight? If you were painfully holding onto the rail, to prevent yourself from falling? If you saw people all around you who looked like they would have none of the same problems that you were having? Would you want one of them to stand up to give you their seat?

The golden rule works on empathy and knowledge. With a complete stranger, your knowledge will be limited. With someone you know well - whose wishes and needs you are very familiar with, your knowledge is greater, therefore your ability at applying the golden rule is better... because empathy is easier.