孔子说道：己所不欲，吾施于人。
Matthew 7:12 "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..."
But not just one, but TWO lectures today on decision making and strategies for social interactions says NO, this isn't the golden rule to how we should act. A example of a couple who prefer doing different activities was given to illustrate this point.
Bonnie likes to watch musicals, whilst Clyde would anytime watch football. On a saturday night, they each have to decide separately where to go and what to do, given the two choies. If u imagine the scenario, there could be four possibilities: 1st, Bonnie and Clyde could act in their self interest and go to the musical and football respectively but that would mean they wouldnt spend their saturday night together. 2nd, Clyde could be gentlemanly and dutifully opt to go to the musical; he wouldnt enjoy himself very much but at least he'ld made Bonnie happy. 3rd, Bonnie could be the self-sacrificing one (indeed!) and accompany Clyde to the football match. BUT, 4th, if both really do love each other very much and want to make each other happy, and clyde chooses to go to the musical whilst bonnie goes to the football match, the outcome would be only one thing-- terrible! Neither gets to watch what they like, and worst of all, they are stuck there alone.
So tell me, did the two golden rules which have been passed down generations and which is permanently scripted in my memory not so applicable to some aspects of life afterall?
Matthew 7:12 "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..."
But not just one, but TWO lectures today on decision making and strategies for social interactions says NO, this isn't the golden rule to how we should act. A example of a couple who prefer doing different activities was given to illustrate this point.
Bonnie likes to watch musicals, whilst Clyde would anytime watch football. On a saturday night, they each have to decide separately where to go and what to do, given the two choies. If u imagine the scenario, there could be four possibilities: 1st, Bonnie and Clyde could act in their self interest and go to the musical and football respectively but that would mean they wouldnt spend their saturday night together. 2nd, Clyde could be gentlemanly and dutifully opt to go to the musical; he wouldnt enjoy himself very much but at least he'ld made Bonnie happy. 3rd, Bonnie could be the self-sacrificing one (indeed!) and accompany Clyde to the football match. BUT, 4th, if both really do love each other very much and want to make each other happy, and clyde chooses to go to the musical whilst bonnie goes to the football match, the outcome would be only one thing-- terrible! Neither gets to watch what they like, and worst of all, they are stuck there alone.
So tell me, did the two golden rules which have been passed down generations and which is permanently scripted in my memory not so applicable to some aspects of life afterall?
posted by Zig | 4:42 PM
4 Comments:
haha but zig, life isn't always so straight forward what, and those two quotes you have have to be taken in context of course. if there's a clash, the couple just has to see which is more impt to whom. for eg, musicals usually have several week runs, while a match is on saturday. so they can watch the match on sat, and go for the musical on sunday! see? do onto others just means if bonnie expects clyde to go with her to the musical, she has to arrange her schedule such that she can go to the game with clyde! one cannot insist that everything has to happen on one day only, and if you do so then you only make things harder for you and your partner. if both partners are so pig headed and insist on the same day, then neither will ever be happy. =)
ok that's just my take. haha.
heehee yes yes of course. this is just a hypothetical example, where both people are faced with a dilemma, and it HAS to be either one of the two activities at the same time on the same day. it's a milder example of the Prisoner's dilemma.. related to game theory. well maybe i should have given the PD example instead.
When i was in primary sch i asked by t-cher "Since the chicken rice uncle wants me to give him money and i wan the uncle to give me chicken rice, does the bible den tell us tt i should give the uncle chicken rice while he gives me money instead of what the whole school has been doing ever since school started?"
you were in primary school then :)
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