Just another thought in passing. I have those on occasion.
There are as many philosophies of life as there are people engaged in the process of living. Some are great, some not so great, some mediocre, some bad, and some absolutely loathsome.
The Golden Rule cannot be attributed to any one person in history. It has been with us since we began to contemplate future, past, birth, life, and death as we struggled for survival on the African savanna, but it certainly is a good and logical philosophy to follow.
I will say that we are experts in the art of laying down stumbling blocks to human advancement and we should stop doing that. Religion, politics, the notion of racial superiority/inferiority, the avarice of many, status and class distinction, sexist thinking from either side, and nationalism are just a smattering of a long list of human stupidities that should be at least curtailed and at best eliminated. All of them introduce nonproductive, often negative life philosophies.
One of the things I have lived by since old enough to understand the workings of the Universe to a small degree is this little maxim: Do what you like and you will always like what you do. However, there is a caveat. If you like anything that goes contrary to that good old Golden Rule, not only shame on you, but there WILL be consequences at some point.
Another maxim I follow is: Learn at least one new thing each day and boredom will be kept at bay. Of course, it does much more than merely staving off that ‘ho hum’ feeling. It is a way to continually add to one's storehouse of knowledge and one of the benefits of that is knowing a great deal can open a door to great wisdom, but you must open the door or the knowledge one has gained will be wasted.
Engage in introspection and set aside some time each day to just think.
When the end comes, as it invariably does, you will have few regrets if you have spent your living time in mostly constructive endeavors, loved deeply, laughed much, enjoyed your fellow human beings, helped whenever possible, and taught your children well.
11
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6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I can agree with this - humans must do better at evolving mentally. I think it is safe to say if you or your group think only you have the 'truth' and that makes you some how better, more worthy, etc. you've missed the mark.
silverotter11
Level 9
June 24, 2018
0
Very good ideas to work with all life long! It is kinda strange how some people can carry these ideas in their heads, but are not able to put them into practice!
Freedompath
Level 9
June 23, 2018
2
I try to live by the golden rule, but sometimes it can cause others to be mad at me. I know that this is silly, but in a way I guess it proves you should always be mindful of what you do. I am one of those weirdos that love spoilers. I want to know everything that happened in the book, movie, or tv show before I watch it. It actually makes the movie, etc better for me. So I had to learn and constantly remind myself not to ruin it for other people.
Aelfmorgan
Level 3
June 23, 2018
1
I agree with most of what you have stated. I believe Confucius may have been the first to record a version of the golden rule. The golden rule has it's flaws as some may not want to be treated the way you want to be treated. The silver rule is much more powerful; do NOT do to anyone that which you would not want done to you. One caveat to any and all maxims of life is to do or cause no harm.
jlynn37
Level 8
June 23, 2018
6
To hurt yourself is your concern
And your concern alone.
But to hurt another? Without consent?
That I cannot condone.
Remember! The hurt need not be physical.
@jlynn37 -- That's the way the Golden Rule was stated long before the christians got hold of it and changed the wording around. It was stated as the negative, essentially saying, "Don't do to anyone else what you don't want done to you." I don't know how it got the moniker of Silver Rule. What remains of all this is that it is the best course to follow that does no harm, either to yourself or anyone/anything else. That it is not possible to accomplish this 100% for anyone, it certainly should be the pursuit of all.
@evidentialist They had to call it something and "Golden Rule" was taken. If I'm not mistaken, Christianity is the only religion that has the "do" and all the rest has the "don't do"
@jlynn37 -- LOL....
@evidentialist There is also the "Platinum Rule"; Treat others the way THEY want to be treated. Big difference there.
- We all must die; and yet live on,
Though neither in heaven nor hell:
But through genes, passed on, and on again
Down time’s eternal swell. * -
And also through deeds. The consequence
Of what we do on Earth
Can affect the lives of thousands
Who have yet to discover birth. *
Petter
Level 9
June 23, 2018
6
The first part of what you wrote hit me deeply as my daughter and I are the last in a long line of Von Roeder women. The world is gonna miss those feisty women
@AmelieMatisse That's a sobering situation indeed.
these two verses are an extract from my self-written, epitaph, "An Atheist's Farewell."
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