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The Golden Rule: Difference between revisions
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A character might apply a strawman version of the golden rule, treating people exactly like ''he'' likes to be treated, without any regard for how ''they'' want to be treated. This might lead to him encountering someone who treats him the same way. For example, he might [[Stalker With a Crush|give a lot of attention]] to a woman he's attracted to, insisting that he would love if she treated him the same way - never mind that she isn't attracted to him. Then someone that ''he'' [[Abhorrent Admirer|isn't attracted to]] (and who might be [[Depraved Homosexual|of the same sex]]) treats him the same way. Thus he learns that he shouldn't treat women like that (because, of course, being hit on by someone you don't happen to be interested in is ''just the same'' as being hit on by someone you find actively repellent) - or at least that's what he ''ought'' to learn. The lesson he actually does learn might instead be [[Unfortunate Implications|to shun "ugly" women and homosexuals]].
When judging if a action is moral or not, one can either see to [[The Deontologist|the principle behind the action]] or [[The Utilitarian|to the consequences of the action]]. For morality based on principles, the golden rule is the most common principle to base the morality on. A common subversion is that the Golden Rule is: "[[Screw the Rules, I Have Money|He who has the Gold makes the rules!]]". Another is "[[Do Unto Others Before They Do Unto Us]]".
Not the same thing as [[Golden Mean Fallacy|The Golden Mean]]. Contrast [[Eye for An Eye]].
{{examples
== [[Anime]] ==
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== [[Film]] ==
* Invoked in ''[[Enemy Mine (Film)|Enemy Mine]]'', when the alien Jerry teaches Davidge about the religious believes of his people. When Davidge points out that the same thing is said in the Bible, the alien isn't suprised at all, since "truth is truth".
* This one of the many morals promoted by ''[[
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster]]'': The spirit of the rule is played straight, while the literal wording of the biblical version os played with in the 8:th commandment. FSM really prefers if we don't do stuff to others that we would like them to do to us but they don't want us to do to them. Oh, and that goes especially for rough sex.
* [[Discworld (Literature)/Small Gods|Small Gods]] has one of the cynical subversions: the Great God Om advises "Do unto others before they do unto you." He gets called out on his lack of compassion by Brutha in a [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]] during the crossing of the desert.
* Invoked in [[Robert A. Heinlein|Heinlein]]'s ''[[The Cat Who Walks Through Walls (Literature)|The Cat Who Walks Through Walls]]'': The main character lives in a habitat called Golden Rule. Where, we are told, there is only one rule, and all others are merely derived from it.
** However, the only interpretation of the Golden Rule practiced in the habitat is that of the station's feudal ruler.
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* Played as an underlying Aesop in Disney's ''[[Beauty and The Beast (Disney)|Beauty and The Beast]]''. What really sets him free is that he lets Belle go. No longer his prisoner, she is free to love him, thus releasing him from his own magical prison. (Now, if only someone could give that [[Disproportionate Retribution|horrible Enchantress]] a taste of her own medicine so that she could eventually learn the same lesson?)
* The common subversion shows up in ''[[Aladdin (Disney)|Aladdin]]'':
{{quote| '''Jafar:''' "You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? [[Screw the Rules, I Have Money|Whoever has the gold makes the rules]]."}}
* A [[Duck Tales]] episode describes [[Scrooge McDuck]] as a follower of the same subversion. At least before he was taught the true meaning.
* The Little Troll Prince has a group of trolls reciting their subversion of the Golden Rule, "Do unto others before they do unto you." Later, human children go on to instruct the prince on what their version of the Golden Rule is.
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