The idea of "do unto others" always seems to be connected to good things. Things like giving good gifts, helping someone move, maybe letting someone in front of us in line. Recently I have had to consider this particular aspect of the golden rule a little differently. We need to look at the second half first though.
"as you would have other do unto you" is a bit problematic. I want folks to be nice, yes, but I also want them to listen to me, consider what I say thoughtfully, take my advice if they ask for it, and if they don't ask for it, don't argue unless there is something so incredibly wrong with my position that I am in danger of a moral breach. It seems that "do unto others" just became very ugly. Instead of being me, I need to be "the person I want everyone else to be".
The irony for me is that the person I most admire seems to be walking proof of the golden rule. I find that when I am around him my approach is better, my attitude is cooperative and the results are much better. This gives evidence that we get the very attitudes and actions that we give. Both the good and the bad.
I think I am going to go out on a limb and rewrite the golden rule to:
Be unto others, the person that you want them to be to you.
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