Posts Tagged ‘The Golden Rule’

“Learn When to Reverse The Golden Rule.” ~ Doc Meek

Saturday, June 18, 2011. Today I am grateful for people who are able to treat others as they themselves would like to be treated. ~ Doc Meek

l_225dda5b73d6fb4626f165efbbb54667.jpg golden rule

“The Golden Rule” in 5 different philosophies/religions

Image from: http://photobucket.com/images/%22golden%20rule%22/#!cpZZ2QQtppZZ24

As a general rule, The Golden Rule is a great yardstick for our behavior and our mental/emotional  health.

However, in the specific case of a specific individual, we need to remember that our particular “language” of receiving what we want may not be the same “language” that the other person recognizes.

Here is a simple example:

I, Doc Meek, love books and reading. Applying The Golden Rule as a general rule, I would want to make sure that others had access to books and reading. I might even buy a book and give it to someone.

Here’s the catch.

And here’s why we need to learn when to reverse The Golden Rule.

What if the other person hates books and reading? And loves action-oriented things, with which I am miserably unacquainted.

I probably wouldn’t even think of action-oriented things! 😮

So in this case, I would have to try to see the world through the other person’s eyes, to try to treat him/her as they would want to be treated, not how I would want to be treated.

Reversing The Golden Rule

Reversing The Golden Rule (by saying, “Do unto others what they like, not what I like,” or something like that. :o), I would give the other person a pair of skates or a hockey stick, say, or a basketball, or a baseball, or a kite.

Or a tree to climb. 😮

I would give the other person whatever action-oriented item that I knew (or could find out from his/her friend) would “warm the cockles of their heart.” I would definitely not give them “some dumb book!” 😮

Lesson learned?

Doc Meek, Sat, June 18, 2011, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S. Here is a reminder that “The Golden Rule” is present in more religions/philosophies than just the 5 shown above:

Click on image to enlarge

“The Golden Rule” in 13 different philosophies/religions

Image from: http://photobucket.com/images/%22golden%20rule%22/#!cpZZ2QQtppZZ24