History Main / TheGoldenRule

* Also {{Inverted}} in the song "Team Rocket's Rockin'" from the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' "2.B.A Master" album.

When judging if an 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 cynical take is that the Golden Rule is: "[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney He who has the Gold makes the rules!]]". Another is "DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoUs".

-->-- '''Jesus''', [[Literature/TheFourGospels Luke 6:31]] (ca. 100 A.D.)

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 cynical take is that the Golden Rule is: "[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney He who has the Gold makes the rules!]]". Another is "DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoUs".

--> '''Jeremy Bentham''': "The greatest felicity for all is here! Eh? Come on! Maximize your felicity in option D! Wooh!" \\
'''Christ''': "A is made of fire!"

* The Little Troll Prince has a group of trolls reciting their version of the Golden Rule, "[[DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoUs 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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** The "cynical version" (see the ''Aladdin'' example under Western Animation below) is then presented as a DarkReprise by Ja'far's predecessor.

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* Another mistake pointed out [[http://www.explosm.net/comics/2266/ here]].

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* From the 1991 film version of ''Film/{{Oscar}}'':

* From [[Theatre/{{Oscar}} the 1991 film version of Oscar]]:
-->'''Vendetti''': We're gonna observe the 11th commandment: "Do unto others before they do unto you."

* Wiki/RationalWiki's [[http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Golden_Rule article]] on the subject points out some problems with the rule if it is taken too literally. Effectively, the article implies, a more advisable philosophy is, "Do unto others as ''they would like to be done unto''", since not everyone wants the same things.

To treat others like you would like them to treat you [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenRule is one of the most basic and universal moral principles that exist]]. With all of [[Quotes/TheGoldenRule the different ways of expressing it]], this principle is known as The Golden Rule. In various works of fiction it surfaces as a StockAesop as well as a StockPhrase.

->''Do unto others as you would have done unto you''
-->--'''Jesus''', [[Literature/TheFourGospels Luke 6:31]] (ca. 100 A.D.)

%%% Please leave these quotes on the right
[[quoteright:251:[[quoteleft:250:"Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself."\\
--'''Creator/{{Confucius}}''', ''Analects XV.24 (ca. 500 B.C.)''\\
\\
"Do unto others as you would have done unto you"\\
--'''Jesus''', ''[[Literature/TheBible Luke 6:31]] (ca. 100 A.D.)''\\
\\
"Whatever belief you belong to,\\
there's still always a reason to doubt\\
And there's always another opinion,\\
as to what life is all about [...]\\
There's only one thing to remember,\\
there is only one thing you can do:\\
And that is to do unto others,\\
as you'd have others do unto you"\\
--'''Clawfinger''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gv4cPCZXpc Two Sides (of every story)]] (ca. 2000 A.D.)'']]]]

* Mentioned in "[[http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kritzer_01_15/ Cat Pictures Please]]". [[InstantAIJustAddWater A search engine algorithm accidentally gained consciousness]] and is trying to figure out how to be moral. It started with the Golden Rule, but the [[TheInternetIsForCats only thing it really wants is cat pictures]], so it wasn't much of a guideline.

Not the same thing as [[GoldenMeanFallacy The Golden Mean]]. Compare EnlightenedSelfInterest, where you take actions that benefit others in order to get tangible benefits yourself. Contrast CycleOfRevenge (a common warping of the golden rule into "treat others as they ''have treated'' you") and PayEvilUntoEvil ("the dark, logical corollary" when things break down). Also compare the PrisonersDilemma, since both rely on all parties involved having trust in each other to achieve the most desirable common goal, but such trust leaves each individual party open to exploitation by the other(s).

--'''Confucius''', ''Analects XV.24 (ca. 500 B.C.)''\\

* The cynical version shows up in ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'':

* ''Discworld/SmallGods'' has one of the cynical takes: 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 TheReasonYouSuckSpeech during the crossing of the desert.

* The Little Troll Prince has a group of trolls reciting their version 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.

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

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

* In ''Theatre/TwistedTheUntoldStoryOfARoyalVizier'', a flashback shows a young Ja'far preaching this rule to his friends and neighbors in a snappy musical number.

Not the same thing as [[GoldenMeanFallacy The Golden Mean]]. Compare EnlightenedSelfInterest, where you take actions that benefit others in order to get tangible benefits yourself. Contrast CycleOfRevenge (a common warping of the golden rule into "treat others as they ''have treated'' you") and PayEvilUntoEvil.

* Mike Hamar of the Canadian sketch show ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'' calls this the "Gold Card" rule, citing it as "do unto others before they can do unto you". Keep in mind, Mike is a habitual criminal, so it makes sense his take on this is a little off. He actually brings this up as part of a question on how to protect your house from criminals when you're not home.

** The North and the Free Folk are big on the "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" with a huge dose of "[[PayEvilUntoEvil and mess them up hard if they mess with you, your kin, your kith or your stuff]]" attached. Guest right and living (and dying) by your promises and ties to others isn't seen as mere fluff. The Boltons, Karstarks, Rattleshirt and Varamyr Sixskins demonstrate just how poorly treating your peers and dependants as dirt goes down when actively practiced. Arguably, the Others might also be acting up because they're responding to broken pacts and are quite conceivably returning the favour.
** For all their BlueAndOrangeMorality, many Ironborn of the Iron Islands truly believe that MightMakesRight rules. And, if you can't defend yourself and your stuff, they say that you deserve what comes when it comes for you. It's... a horrible, twisted take on the Rule, but "accept what is done to you when you're down as it's what you have done to others" is supposed to be ''normal'' there (for all they tend to get annoyed when "greenlanders" return the favour). Yet, when first Balon Greyjoy (by being the biggest and bitterest sore loser on the continent) and then Euron Greyjoy (possibly the scariest nutter on the continent) break what passes for their take on the Golden Rule, things get ''exponentially'' worse and the ironborn deaths really start mounting.
** Nobody likes House Frey much. Often including various branches ''within'' House Frey. Given that the family collectively has this crippling inability to treat other people all that well, including a lean towards "get 'em harder than they were even thinking of getting us before they do make up their minds to get us", it's easy to see why. Take-home lesson: when you're a single family, no matter how large, don't start a DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoYou war with ''all of other families in the neighbourhood'' when everybody already had complaints about your conduct.

** Nobody likes House Frey. Often including various branches ''within'' House Frey. Given that the family has a crippling inability to treat other people well, including a lean towards "get 'em harder than they even think of getting us", it's easy to see why.