The golden rule

The Golden Rule

By Rom Antony Day

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

12/04/11

Although the Golden Rule is important, its indiscriminate application to someone with preferences different from one's own is disrespectful of the individual's rights and preferences. The application of the Golden Rule, which says to treat others as you would want to be treated, may require the application of the Platinum Rule. That rule is about treating others the way in which they prefer to be treated. This specially has to do with respect of personal space boundaries a person indicates directly or subtly by backing away which varies from one individual to the next and maybe from one interaction to another.

You do not have to know the reason a person requires more space from you than from another. The person probably has its own private and maybe even confidential reasons that do not need to be disclosed even if you are unable to understand how come.