Politics & the Golden Rule

So many discussions of the essential difference between capitalism and socialism, the right and the left, are clouded by the righteousness of personal attitudes that the lack of resolution always boils down to an apples and oranges problem. What is sought is a single principle to which both viewpoints aspire, or claim to at least. The Golden Rule is just such a simple principle.

The Babylonians first stated this ethic of reciprocity as, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

The Egyptians said, "Now this is the command: Do to the doer to cause that he do thus to you."


The Greeks had it, "What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others."


Old Testament Christianity  declares, "Recognize that your neighbor feels as you do, and keep in mind your own dislikes." —Sirach 31:15.


And in the New Testament they say, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."


Each of these statements is intended to evoke unqualified empathy when interacting with others in ones life. One way to look at these edicts is the way corporate capitalism interprets the idea of, as coined by Al Capp, "What's good for General Bullmoose is good for the USA!" This shallow reading of the Golden Rule allows one to treat the world as one would be treated without consideration of others interest in having anyone treat them at all. It's for their own good whether they like it or not, I know better.


The entire Age of Exploitation, er, ah Exploration of the rest of the world is a corruption of natural curiosity draped in the sanctity of the church out to save the ignorantly happy heathens from the hell of living in the wilds of nature so the venture capitalists who finance the voyages can introduce them to the shell game of trading shiny objects for claims to vast areas of land and new markets for god and country. It isn't over — scamming each other for profit is how the heirs to such a cultural tradition earn their daily bread.


The deeper meaning, with generous helpings of true empathy, is to learn of and contemplate another's need of or desire for treatment before being able to act with mutual benefit. It is as much an admonition to "mind your own business" if it is not theirs as it is an appeal to "walk a mile in their shoes" prior to engaging them with one's own moral imperatives. This full bloom of the simplest of guide lines is what I had in mind when I began this new blog and named it "…the kindness of strangers." Sometimes the kindest thing we might do for others is listen and learn before talking and teaching.