History Main / TheGoldenRule

* TheBible uses this in the stories about Jesus. Invoked by the main character as a moral principle, and also used as AnAesop in several of the parables (short stories within the main story). The most famous is the story of the Good Samaritan.

* In ''{{Manga/Naruto}}'', other characters opens up to the protagonist - trusts him and helps him - because they realize that he is doing the same for them.

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', other characters opens up to the protagonist - trusts him and helps him - because they realize that he is doing the same for them.

* This one of the many morals promoted by the film ''ItsAWonderfulLife''

* Inverted in Anton LaVey's ''The Satanic Bible'' with the "Lex Talionis" (Law of Reprisal): "Do unto others as they do unto you."
* The Talmud gives us the tale of Hillel the Elder, a Rabbi who was challenged by a Gentile to teach him the whole of the Torah while he stood on one foot. Hillel replied "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole of the Torah; the rest is commentary."
* In ''TheVorkosiganSaga'', a subversion was given of a Vor lord who loved liversweets and therefore gave them to everyone, not understanding why they never gave any to him.

* Subject of a CrossesTheLineTwice joke in ''TheDailyShow'', where apropos of a meeting between Catholic Cardinals to discuss the sexual molestation scandals, Jon claims that the aformentioned Bible verse will be altered to include the footnote "except when explicitly prohibited by law".

* Inverted / Parodied in a ''BennyHill'' song: "Do unto others before they do it unto you."

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]
* Played as an underlying Aesop in Disney's Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast. 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 [[DisproportionateRetribution horrible Enchantress]] a taste of her own medicine so that she could eventually learn the same lesson?)
* The common subversion shows up in ''{{Aladdin}}'':
-->'''Jafar:''' "You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney Whoever has the gold makes the rules]]."
* 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.

** However, [[CompletelyMissingThePoint the only interpretation of the Golden Rule practiced in the habitat is that of the station's feudal ruler]].

* Debated on ''HowIMetYourMother'': Barney came up with the Platinum Rule: "You can love thy neighbor, but you can never, ever [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean ''love'' thy neighbor]]." The others point out how Love Thy Neighbor isn't the Golden Rule as such.

* ''SchlockMercenary'' book "[[BigBookOfWar The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates]]" has a somewhat abridged version: "Do unto others".

When played as a StockPhrase, it sometimes uses a quote from religious scriptures, such as the confusianism page quote for the negative form or the christianity page quote for the positive form.

* In ''TheVorkosiganSaga'', a ubversion was given of a Vor lord who loved liversweets and therefore gave them to everyone, not understanding why they never gave any to him.

[[quoteright:251:[[quoteleft:250:[++ "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself."\\

- '''Clawfinger''', ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gv4cPCZXpc Two Sides (of every story)]] (ca 2000 AD)''++ ] ]] ]]

* Florence from ''{{Freefall}}'' [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff600/fv00546.htm points out]] a common mistake.

* Invoked in [[RobertAHeinlein Heinlein]]'s ''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.

-->'''Jafar:''' "You've heard of the golden rule, haven't you? Whoever has the gold makes the rules."

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 [[StalkerWithACrush 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'' [[AbhorrentAdmirer isn't attracted to]] (and who might be [[DepravedHomosexual of the same sex]]) treats him the same way. Thus he learns that he shouldn't treat women like that - or at least that's what he ''ought'' to learn. The lesson he actually does learn might instead be [[UnfortunateImplications to shun "ugly" women and homosexuals]].

* In {{Naruto}}, other characters opens up to the protagonist - trusts him and helps him - because they realize that he is doing the same for them.

** Notably ''averted'' (or subverted, depending on your interpretation) in The Book Of Job, where God becomes a {{Jerkass}} to Job because [[WhatTheHellHero God's on a bet with Satan]].

* Invoked in Heinlein's ''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.

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 [[StalkerWithACrush 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'' [[AbhorrentAdmirer isn't attracted to]] (and who might be [[DepravedHomosexual of the same sex]]) treats him the same way. Thus he learns that he shouldn't treat women like that - or at least that's what he ''ought'' to learn. The lesson he actually do learn might instead be [[UnfortunateImplications to shun "ugly" women and homosexuals]].

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 [[StalkerWithACrush give a lot of attention]] to a woman he's attracted too, 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'' [[AbhorrentAdmirer isn't attracted to]] (and who might be [[DepravedHomosexual of the same sex]]) treats him the same way. Thus he learns that he shouldn't treat women like that - or at least that's what he ''ought'' to learn. The lesson he actually do learn might instead be [[UnfortunateImplications to shun "ugly" women and homosexuals]].

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* ''SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' - The comic points out a possible analogy with the "Prisoner's Dilemma". Option A: "sell each other out" is like "act selfishly" for the Golden Rule because it's worse for both parties , and option D: "as you would have them do unto you" is like "refuse to sell out" because it's best for both if they cooperate and reciprocate. It then points out that although it's a universal moral, its proponents have argued for it it in very different ways.

* ''SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'' - The comic points out a possible analogy with the "Prisoner's Dilemma", where the "sell each other out" option A is like "do as you like" for the Golden Rule, and "don't betray each other" option D is like "as you would have them do unto you". It then points out that although it's a universal moral, its believers have expressed it in very different ways.
--> '''Bentham''': "The greatest felicity for all is here! Eh? Come on! Maximize your felicity in square D! Wooh!" \\
'''Christ''': "A is made of fire!"

The Golden Rule is one of the most referenced moral concepts for human beings and a very common [[AnAesop Aesop]] in fiction. Most religions and philosophers use one of the many different versions somewhere in their moral codes - see the [[Quotes/TheGoldenRule quotes page]]. In the Western World, Jesus is the most well know teacher of this code. Although Jesus uses the positive form, while most other sources use the negative form: Don't do to others what you would dislike being done to you. Sometimes the negative form is referred to as the "Silver Rule".

Both of these forms are commonly used as Aesops. The villain (or {{Jerkass}} protagonist) does something bad to another person. He then experiences the same thing being done to him. Or possibly he is HoistByHisOwnPetard. He might then decide not to do that to others anymore. Or perhaps the Hero does something good for another without expectation of a reward. This good deed turns out to be very beneficial for the Hero too. Sometimes because the person he helped has unexpectedly returned to reward him. (This is very popular in fairy tales where the beggar woman turns out to be a powerful fairy instead).

Another form is The Great Commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Which might be seen as the basis for both the Golden and Silver rules. Again Jesus is the most famous source for this — although he was in fact quoting the Law of Moses — citing it as the second greatest commandment in the law. (The first is to love God with all your heart.)

Note its relation to a more famous (and harsh) part of the Law of Moses: "[[EyeForAnEye Eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth]]". In other words: Do unto others as they ''have'' done unto you.

A common [[DeconstructedTrope criticism]] is that the Golden Rule does not account for differences in taste. [[{{Reconstruction}} Defenders]] of the Golden Rule point out that, according to the golden rule, we would want others to take into account our own tastes when deciding what to do to us, so we ought to do the same towards others.

Further complications are what to do when you believe a person is mistaken in their tastes, or engaging in what you think is self-destructive behavior. For example, among Christians, warning someone that they are going to Hell if they don't repent is an act following the Golden Rule, because "it becometh every man who has been warned to warn his neighbor". After all, if you were doing something that was going to send you to Hell, wouldn't you want someone to warn you? Of course, many Christians reason that they probably would prefer that someone warn them in a kind and friendly manner rather than a blunt declaration, "You're going to Hell." That just goes to show that applying the Golden Rule can get tricky.

When judging if a action is moral or not, one can either see to [[TheDeontologist the principle behind the action]] or [[TheUtilitarian 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: "[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney He who has the Gold makes the rules!]]". Another is "Do unto others before they can do unto you".

Not the same thing as [[GoldenMeanFallacy The Golden Mean]].

* Inverted in Anton LaVey's ''The Satanic Bible'' with the "Lex Talionis" (Law of Reprisal): "Do unto others as they do unto you."

* TheLittleTrollPrince 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.