In Reply to: you made my point posted by Traveler on April 27, 2004 at 11:04:29:
I really don't see your interpretation of the Golden rule superior to the traditional one.
It seems it is all in your mind. You feel you can't possible have empathy and that humans are too vastly different from one other to understand how to treat them. That of course not everyone would want to be dealt with respect just because you want with respect. That not everyone would want to be shown courtesy, just because you like courtesy. I mean some people want to be crushed, and beaten up and whipped? (sadists and masochist come to mind)
Really I think you are straining at a gnat here, the golden rule is simple and elegant and applicable to almost any situation. It can be applied as briefly or deeply as you want to go with it.
Humans are linked, we do know how we want to be treated and we know that showing that same compassion and understanding is fulfilling the loving commandment to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.