Anyone who has ever had any religious training or even had a lesson on how one should deal with others, surely has heard, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Maybe the message was, “Treat other people the way you want to be treated.” Whatever the actual words, the meaning was clear. Be nice. Be fair. Be decent.
It seems to me that with the current political climate, the animosity toward people not like ourselves, the inability of people to put themselves in other people’s shoes, the denial of people to take responsibility for their actions and other problems we face in today’s world, we are forgetting this simple, basic precept. Why is it so difficult do unto others reciprocally?
One person never has all the answers. Cooperation requires us to see things through another person’s lens. Indeed, this is the truest path toward a lasting peace. So why don’t we do this out of self-interest? Isn’t it better to live in harmony than to be at odds with others?
Some of the best moments in life are when people are bound together for a common goal that benefits everyone. How can any person have faith in mankind if others have not considered them as important as anyone else? Every person has value and deserves to be considered. If one grows up without being valued, that person cannot be a part of the conversation. When this happens, there is a break in trust that can foster deep unrest. We unwittingly create bullies by doing this. This affects everyone negatively. It is in everyone’s interest to care about each other. Do unto others.
When I ignore the plight of other people’s tragedies, I become part of the problem that plagues our world. The humane reaction to disaster or catastrophe is not to say, “It’s not my problem.” The answer that brings peace is, “What can I do to help?” As simplistic as it may sound, just looking at things through a lens of love and understanding toward humanity could shift our collective minds to a compassionate mode of thinking. The world can change when we change our minds. Do unto others.