The Ethic of Reciprocity or The Golden Rule is a fundamental moral principle found in virtually all major religions and cultures. It simply means “treat others as you would like to be treated.” and is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights.
I don’t exactly remember how I ran across this Wikipedia entry a few months ago, but I found it very interesting, and also a bit surprising. This principle has always been an unshakable standard of my own system of belief, behavior and life design, so much I never thought it would really be represented (or have to be represented) by a term in an encyclopedia.
I also never realized that this principle is phrased in one way or another in so many religions including Christianity and Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Taoism. I didn’t know it was mentioned as early as in ancient Greek times and that is has been so essential to mankind across the world and a foundation of living together regardless of any cultural or religious beliefs.
This Wikipedia entry also presents a few interesting criticisms of the golden rule. George Bernard: “Do not do unto others as you would expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.” Or Karl Popper: “The golden rule is a good standard which is further improved by doing unto others, wherever possible, as they want to be done by.” A concept that has recently been called The Platinum Rule. Others ask how one would know how others want to be treated, or point out possible differences in values, interests or situations.
Well, that was all for today…being such an important and so often discussed rule I sometimes wonder why so few people would actually live by it.
