Just act as if they would, because while you’re probably right, you don’t know, and it would be a poor reason not to do the right thing.
I think the golden rule is about as perfect a rule as exists, and I really think I can bootstrap an entirely humanist set of morals from it.
Even its Christian variant, love your neighbor as yourself, does the job very well without actually needing the attendant theology. You can make a very worthy entire life’s project out of progressively expanding your definition of who your neighbor is.
I think the golden rule is about as perfect a rule as exists
I’ve heard a variant dubbed the ‘platinum’ rule as a slight improvement. Instead of “treat others as you would have them treat you”, it’s just “treat others as they would like to be treated”. It’s especially valuable as a cross-cultural check where like you might want others to maintain eye contact with you so you know you’ve got their full attention; while someone else might take that kind of maintained eye contact as a sign of aggression.
…or like that creepy mofo at seemingly every work space who just butts into peoples’ personal space because “well I’m a hugger” like, god damnit Dave, we know your a hugger, but you just pressed yourself up against Cathy’s tits without her consent. Again. And now she’s going to HR. And Dave will get a stern email and still somehow keep his job.
But yeah, platinum rule!
We do it because it must be done.
I’m thankful for how you are :)
I think if you a good person only in the case that you expect it to be reciprocal, you aren’t a good person.
I think there’s more nuance to that than warrants a full good vs bad.
Unless you mean “aren’t a good person” as potentially including neutral.
I think it’s very fair to want, but not need, to be treated the same in return.
I also think there’s a difference between helping a stranger vs someone you know and see regularly.
If I help a stranger, I’m not going to expect squat from them. But if you do something nice like cover a friend’s share of the tab or something, I’d expect the same in return at some point. I wouldn’t necessarily say anything, but if it’s a repeated thing, it doesn’t make you a bad person to stop helping them.
Being a good person doesn’t mean being a doormat, and I think it’s important to understand the difference. Doing nice things for people is great. Doing things to be nice while hurting yourself, that probably shouldn’t be a regular thing. I’ve seen a lot of friends suffer emotionally or financially due to bad friends, or especially bad family, because it makes them feel bad to cut people off that take but never give in kind.
Kinda a ‘fool me once, eat shit bitch; fool me twice, I’m a dumbass’ thing.
To me its more of a, “I’m doing this act of kindness because its the kind of person I want to be”, and if you take advantage of that, its fine. I wasn’t doing it with the expectation that you were a good person. I was doing it because I want to believe that I’m a good person.
I used to be like that, to everyone. Then I got shit on by almost everyone. People always using you but disappearing when you need help is a common theme with a large population of humans.
I guess I’m jaded or whatever. Tired of being the village bitch.
A few weeks back, I was walking to my apartment building and saw a lady ahead of me with arms full of groceries trying to get the door open, so I offered to help. She screamed. I guess a bald guy with a beard in broad daylight can be scary.
I’m sure she meant nothing by it but it made me feel like I should have just quietly stood back 20 feet instead.That’s a her problem. You did the right thing. Don’t let her crazy reaction stop you from being kind in the future.
“I’m such a good person” I exclaimed, while deeply inhaling my own farts.
