The Golden Rule

Dear Educators,

Since Kindergarten, we have been told to “treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.” While this is a good start, as adults we begin to learn that there are some nuances to this thinking. Perhaps it’s more effective to treat others as THEY would like to be treated. We all have different expectations, wants and needs, and truly caring for the people around us can be a little more complicated than that simple phrase. What remains true, however, is that the ultimate test of our character, success, and legacy ought be how we treat the people in our lives, and the people with whom we cohabit this planet.
I think this is even more important during the current pandemic.

We each have our own personal standards for how we behave and treat people, which in good times is relatively easy to uphold. In times of high stress, external challenges, and uncertainty, we can see which of those values we are really committed to. Do we continue to keep our word on our promises? Do we continue to treat people with kindness and understanding? What happens to our generosity, both of resources and energy? Our patience? As we encourage our students to hold themselves to the Golden Rule, it’s a good time to analyze how we are behaving with regards to our own moral compass.

Interestingly, studies do show that accumulating great wealth leads to a decline in empathy, generosity, and compassion. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Bill Gates. His fame for financial, technological, and business success at Microsoft is just as well known as his dedication to philanthropy through the Gates Foundation. This biography tells of his rise to achievement and the many ways he’s making the world a better place!

What does it look like to treat others well? This article has some fantastic insights. It’s not just being nice to people, and treating them with respect. Ultimately, the vein I see running through this article is the great dignity in treating others well, especially when treating them poorly would benefit you in some way. The irony is that consistently choosing not to use other people for your own benefit will lead to greater happiness and satisfaction. We are, after all, a deeply social animal. The article states “How you treat others is how you invite them to treat you." Reciprocity might just be the self-preserving motivation to human kindness.