The Golden Rule vs. the Platinum Rule
The Golden Rule vs. The Platinum Rule
Perspectives, expectations, and experiences of different people about the golden rule and the platinum rule changed my own way of thinking. The knowledge given to me made me rethink my beliefs but it also made me confused of which is the best rule that should be followed by all. To drive away my confusion, I listed down the good and the bad things about both rules.
The Golden Rule
“Do unto others what you want others do unto you.” The golden rule does have a good mutual fashion: treating others the way you wanted to be treated. It is almost universal, taught to children, and must be remembered by all. But as I understood the law further and deeper, I found out that this “golden rule” is kind of selfish.
Why?
Do not do unto others what YOU WANT others to do unto you. Meaning, you treat others the way you want to be treated, you give lollipops to others because you wanted to be given a lollipop not because others want lollipops. Good selfishness, it is.
The Platinum Rule
“Do unto others what others want to do unto them.” A little bit better than the golden rule. It simply means that we should treat others the way they wanted to be treated; we give lollipops to others because they wanted to be given lollipops.
Thought it sounds better than the golden rule (to me), this rule still has a problem. Like the golden rule, the platinum rule’s issue is about the different expectations of other people. An example is the students’ expectations from the teachers. They want to stop the teachers teaching and give them “freedom”. Obviously, the teachers couldn’t apply the platinum rule to their lives.
So I asked myself, which is the best, the golden rule or the platinum rule? For minutes of thinking, I finally decided.
There is no such thing as the best rule. All rules have contradictions and exceptions and it depends on the person what rule is the best for him. As for me, the best rule is to make peace –
Perspectives, expectations, and experiences of different people about the golden rule and the platinum rule changed my own way of thinking. The knowledge given to me made me rethink my beliefs but it also made me confused of which is the best rule that should be followed by all. To drive away my confusion, I listed down the good and the bad things about both rules.
The Golden Rule
“Do unto others what you want others do unto you.” The golden rule does have a good mutual fashion: treating others the way you wanted to be treated. It is almost universal, taught to children, and must be remembered by all. But as I understood the law further and deeper, I found out that this “golden rule” is kind of selfish.
Why?
Do not do unto others what YOU WANT others to do unto you. Meaning, you treat others the way you want to be treated, you give lollipops to others because you wanted to be given a lollipop not because others want lollipops. Good selfishness, it is.
The Platinum Rule
“Do unto others what others want to do unto them.” A little bit better than the golden rule. It simply means that we should treat others the way they wanted to be treated; we give lollipops to others because they wanted to be given lollipops.
Thought it sounds better than the golden rule (to me), this rule still has a problem. Like the golden rule, the platinum rule’s issue is about the different expectations of other people. An example is the students’ expectations from the teachers. They want to stop the teachers teaching and give them “freedom”. Obviously, the teachers couldn’t apply the platinum rule to their lives.
So I asked myself, which is the best, the golden rule or the platinum rule? For minutes of thinking, I finally decided.
There is no such thing as the best rule. All rules have contradictions and exceptions and it depends on the person what rule is the best for him. As for me, the best rule is to make peace –