1993 In the Declaration of Global Ethics signed at the World Religious Conference held in Chicago, USA, China said, "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you." The golden rule defined as ethics is also the highest standard of morality. People all over the world regard this moral maxim as the greatest common denominator of human moral standards. As China people, we must be very proud. A sentence by Confucius more than 2,000 years ago is still highly valued by the international public today. This is our national treasure and the crystallization of human wisdom.
Since it is the crystallization of national treasure and wisdom, it must be shelved. Can be used as a symbol, a highest standard. The highest standard means: no one needs to do it, but people need to know.
Why? Because out of context, it is impossible to look at the world only by this sentence, it is impossible at all. Not only can it not be done, but this sentence is also an excuse for disasters and tragedies under ancient Confucian ethics.
Who is a person?
"Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you." It has been the most authoritative moral admonition since ancient times. Before we interpret it, we must first clarify two concepts. Who is "ego"? This need not be elaborated too much, that is, oneself, that is, "I"; What about "people" This is even more complicated. Are you alone with him? You look at your limbs with your eyes, knock on your head and answer affirmatively: I am human. What I said may not be true, so you punch me in a rage, because now people are out of the constraints of Confucian ethics, and everyone can be regarded as a human being.
At that time, there was chaos in China, and the former Qin emperor Fu Jian was besieged in Chang 'an, and there were hungry people from the palace to the street. The soldier has no fighting capacity, so his practice is very representative. He directly killed three thousand ladies-in-waiting as food rations. In ancient times, people were divided into three classes, six classes and nine classes. Take women for example. Although wives can't be killed, concubines can give them away at will, because they don't belong to the category of "people", but property. Property can also find a thousand good reasons to be destroyed or killed when necessary.
The most disgusting thing is Zhang Xun in the Tang Dynasty and Cang Hong in the Eastern Han Dynasty, both of whom did the same thing. In the end, when the war ended, he became a winner and even pretended to be a moral model. At this time, "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you" has become a traitor's moral excuse and excuse. Cang Hong of the Eastern Han Dynasty would say, "I don't want to be eaten by people myself, so I can't let Zhang Xun of the Tang Dynasty feed the soldiers. There are many things around us that look like people, but they are not people. Just find an excuse to eat them. "
Or you might say, the example I gave is too extreme, and it happened in ancient times. There is certainly nothing wrong with today's "golden rule", and we should fully abide by it. If you have such an idea, it shows that you are a person with very noble moral sentiments and worth learning. Let me talk about the logical paradox of "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you".
The Logical Paradox of "Golden Rule"
If Zhang San is a person who is very pessimistic and world-weary, wants to give up himself very much, thinks about suicide all the time and has no courage. Suddenly one day he met Li Si who was going to commit suicide. What should he do? If he saves Li Si, it is against "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you", because Zhang San himself feels that life is too bitter, so he might as well die.
According to the principle of "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you", he should stand in situ and bless silently. I just hope that Li Si will not go too far in his next life and not be a man. If he really does this, and violates the "conventional ethics" in the world, this is the paradox of the golden rule, which often makes people in a dilemma. To get out of trouble, he must pull himself out, just like Zhang Xun and Cang Hong. It is good for you to abide by the "conventional ethics". When others can use the "golden rule", they must reach the highest standards.
We have a very typical and concrete example in reality. As we all know, if no one buys a high-priced commodity for a year, its price will naturally not be so firm. This "if" needs everyone's consciousness and perseverance to cooperate. As a "I", I definitely hope others will abide by it, but in this process, "I" just hope others will abide by it, because in the process of others' compliance, I will buy it as soon as the economy reaches the standard, which will not only satisfy the pleasure of vanity immediately.
It seems that the so-called "golden rule" can actually be put there and shelved, and people have no reason or need to follow it at all. Because we all want others to pursue it, but we always like to pull it out, which is beyond this constraint.