Heyhey CommDisc, I got somethin' I'd like to chat about. Or maybe monologue, I don't know. I've never been a "draft" kind of person. I'm a "fire and forget" kind of person.

So we all know the Golden Rule, or at least I hope you do. It's only like, one of the most spammed life lessons across cultures and faiths around the world that nowadays is taught in first grade. It's regarded as a great thing and adherents to the rule are virtuous people. Lately I've found myself kinda taking it to heart, but that's exactly my problem right now. I really don't think it's virtuous at all. Anytime I apply the Golden Rule, I don't feel considerate or nice, I feel like a selfish, self absorbed, greedy person. I find myself not doing or saying things because "I wouldn't like that if it were to happen to me, so I won't" but how can anyone think that's good? I didn't do it because I am a nice person, I did it out of my own self preservation. For an example, let's use this. Some people will say "geez, eat a cheeseburger why don't ya" to thin people, and I've heard it before, and I'd be the type of person to not say that if I were with a group of people who were saying it because I'd feel pretty bad about myself if they were saying that to me. I'm self conscious about my weight and that sort of thing would set me off. Where's the virtue in that? That's me only thinking about myself.

Am I wrong in thinking it's an incredibly self-preserving, selfish way of looking at things? Or is my own perception of it so warped and perverted?

Well my golden rule is: Be better than the rest and destroy the opposition.

That sounds more like the philosophy of the British Empire

Maybe it just never struck you before?

Half of the statement definitely derives from a human's natural instincts to care for themselves. But when you apply this selfish mentality to the needs of other people, you create a loose form of empathy (ie. Would YOU want to be treated this way?) and you're able to connect with someone who you have no relation to.

Nah, if it was the British Empire's it also include talk about the Queen being supreme, taxation of inferior non-English and self-superiority.

I don't know. I think the Golden Rule is lame so it's hard to say.

Well I am English.

You forgot raiding India.

Soon... in Crusader Kings II.

IMO it's more of a fall-back guideline than a rule. In most cases I think that a person with a decent amount of life experience knows whether or not it's morally/ethically responsible to do something that will affect others. I think the Golden Rule is a good rule of thumb/litmus test for situations wherein the person isn't sure whether or not doing a certain thing is "ok." "I'm not sure if this is an ok thing to do...how would I feel if someone did that to me?"

The Golden Rule?

I assume it's a personal thing. I'm not really sure what mine is, though; "remember to get dressed before going out" will do.

Do unto others as you would like others to do unto you.

Oh, that.

I threw that idea out when I ditched going to church. And to be honest I never paid it any attention anyway.

It's the sort if thing that only works in a perfect world. In the real world it just gives everyone who doesn't follow it an advantage over those that do.

I wouldn't call it a religious thing so much as a social adage. I'll be kind until you're a dike, then I'll me Mayor Mcdike of diketopia right back.

That depends on what you consider advantages, and which advantages you choose to capitalize on. There are plenty of ways to compete with and win over opportunistic dikes without being one yourself. Sure, there might be times that it makes things more difficult in the short-term, but it has the added advantage of you not being a dike.

I forgot to do this once when I was a kid. Rushed out of the house in such a hurry, I forgot I was still wearing my pajama bottoms. Pretty embarrassing if you ask me. Fortunately, it was during summer school, and at least it wasn't the entire school laughing at me.

As for the golden rule: Do unto others...yada yada, yada, yeah, we've all heard that one before...at least everybody I personally know has. I don't take it as something that need to be strictly adhered to, but more of a general guideline on how to behave in certain situations. Sometimes it's better to smile in the face of someone who's deliberately trying to piss you off. Easier said, than done, but if I strictly adhered to the golden rule, I'd be giving that person back, what he/she gave to me. That doesn't always work too well.

I think the intention is "behave the way you'd like others to behave" rather than "behave the way others do behave."

I think that's actually an entrance requirement at the budget supermarkets in the rougher areas in some towns. I imagine anyone not dressed in pyjamas will be on the receiving end of ridicule for being overdressed...

That's a terrible saying; I'd never want to be friends with another Moog.

Wot u doin dressed in dem fancy jeans eh? Tryin to look the bees knees while you shop?

That was the only context I'd heard it in.

I'm not saying be an opportunistic dike, but I don't see any reason to make it easy for them by acting as if nobody is one. There are more people who don't think that way than do, so why pretend otherwise?

Don't be a dike.

That's not the sentiment of the saying, though. You really can distill it down to:

The fact that people are going to inevitably be dikes sometimes doesn't mean that you have to as well in order to compete with them. You should behave the way you'd like others to behave...even though you know that they won't always do so.

I'm getting the feeling that people have missed the point of this saying.

"Do unto those that you would want done unto you" This is my golden rule, if someone's kind to me, I'm kind to them, if someone's going to be a jerk to me then I'll be a jerk to them.

That's not what it means.

Again, it means: behave the way you'd like others to behave.

It does not mean: behave the way others do behave.