• Anaxagoras
    433
    After much disappointment in some of the co-workers whom I've made plans with for my birthday celebration today, I had a temporary bout of nihilism with respect to my own existence. I realize that a celebration of one's entrance into the corporeal world is contagiously celebrated and popularize with seemingly indirect self-exaltation, it is often over exaggerated. But for some of us that extend our salutations and congratulatory remarks, do we do so because this is taught to us or that we parrot what we experience? This question is a segway into the axiom of from the Biblical verse from Matthew 7:12 "Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

    The above verse is to imply that one should treat others as they want to be treated, which rather imposes personal values upon others that are around. But does this hold up today in our society? Regarding this very subject the New York Times stated that "the problem, however, has little to do with diversity or modernity; the problem is with the core supposition that any two people (regardless of similarity) will want the same thing." The very problem (but to which is also a particular strength of the Biblical verse) is that one does not need to confer to others before action because it is implied that people desire the same thing. Because we are placing ourselves in the shoes of others naturally, we are instructed to appeal to the individual's "shoes" (meaning experiences and understanding) and therefore assume from our perspective that our behavior towards them is what they desire.

    My mother always said "everyone doesn't think like you," which I found to be true in the latter part of my thirties because like it says in the Bible to treat others as you wanted to be treated, not everyone lives by the same principles. So although in my mind I would give a genuine birthday wish to someone and even offer to take them out, reciprocal expectation based on the belief of the golden rule is self-defeating and it seems that there's an extended connection in all facets of social interaction among humans.

    Thoughts?
  • Galuchat
    809
    Thoughts?Anaxagoras

    Frequently, but not obsessively.
  • Sir2u
    3.5k
    Thoughts?Anaxagoras

    I always thought that this was badly written. It would make much more sense if it said,

    "Don't do to others things that you don't want them to do to you".

    Stated thus it would be applicable anywhere at any time.
  • Anaxagoras
    433
    I always thought that this was badly written. It would make much more sense if it said,

    "Don't do to others things that you don't want them to do to you".

    Stated thus it would be applicable anywhere at any time.
    Sir2u

    If you are a scholar of Aramaic and Hebrew perhaps you would enlighten me how you would write it. I'm curious to know considering you're focused on the grammatical formation of said verse, rather than what it entails.

    Furthermore I'm curious as you said:

    "Don't do to others things that you don't want them to do to you".

    Stated thus it would be applicable anywhere at any time.
    Sir2u

    Going back to my favorite subject aside from philosophy which is psychology, how do you reconcile your above reformatted quote with someone who has social anxiety disorder?

    Someone who is introverted in addition to having social anxiety disorder, who avoids others in hopes that others may avoid them (which relates to your reformatted verse) seems to have an adverse affect not just on the development of social skills, but also on the mental health of the individual. Because in your case:

    "Don't do to others things that you don't want them to do to you".Sir2u

    Would seem to perpetuate the behavior of one maintaining their own isolation would costantly affect their own mental distress. Which in contrast to the original verse's intent of one placing themselves in the shoes of others, and treating them accordingly. Now, don't bite my head off the social anxiety example is extreme but just throwing that curve ball out there.
  • Sir2u
    3.5k
    Going back to my favorite subject aside from philosophy which is psychology, how do you reconcile your above reformatted quote with someone who has social anxiety disorder?Anaxagoras

    How do you relate the original with someone that has extreme sadistic/masochistic tendencies?

    Surely it would perpetuate the behavior of one sick son of a bitch and hurt a lot of poor victims.

    Edited because of missing masochist.....
  • Anaxagoras
    433
    How do you relate the original with someone that has extreme sadistic tendencies?Sir2u

    Depends if harm is involved. Surely sadists of the extreme kind tend to gravitate towards others of like mind. That is different from those with social anxiety disorder and a stark contrast. One test the limits of tactile pleasure versus the other who shy away from all forms of contact. Now of course there are the outliers of sadists who are murderers and rapist.
  • Sir2u
    3.5k
    Depends if harm is involved.Anaxagoras

    Sorry, I reread and edited something.

    Surely sadists of the extreme kind tend to gravitate towards others of like mind.Anaxagoras

    I would not know much about that, but a lot of the murders you see on TV are pretty gruesome. If people were obliged to not do unto others what they would not like having done to them it might make them think before doing bad things.
    An eye for an eye seems very appropriate in some cases.
  • Galuchat
    809
    ClarifyAnaxagoras
    Say, "please."
  • Anaxagoras
    433


    Nevermind this is worthless. No wonder, you're from England, no wonder you're a natural dick head
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