Class Summary 10/17

THE GOLDEN RULE

People would probably like society if it followed the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Sure, it'd be nice, however the golden rule only works in small settings, not necessarily large, interconnected, and impersonal ones.

The golden rule fails, not because of us, but because people don't like organizing themselves by the principle of other people. It can't work in a large society because we have a knowledge problem, not an honesty problem.

Why is our thinking about self-interest so colored?
Interesting how we idolize people who have the self-control to workout and eat healthy for themselves. We celebrate most self-interested actions, but there are some that we condemn (e.g. creating your own business) The person who goes jogging is virtuous, the person who makes the shoes so you can go jogging is evil and self-interested.

It seems that instead of the golden rule, the more appropriate rule may be the "silver rule". Do not do to others what you would consider unfair or unjust if they did it to you.