The Platinum Rule: Treat others as they want to be treated.

The Golden Rule: Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.

The Golden Rule states that you treat others as you want them to be treated. The rule has various forms in most religions and creeds around the world. The Platinum Rule states that Treat others as they want to be treated. Dealing with people and managing relationships with family and friends can be tricky, especially when we don’t follow the golden rule.

The Platinum Rule: Treat others as they want to be treated.

The Golden Rule seems to be very straightforward for living a peaceful life. The simplicity of the rule makes it even harder to implement, as common sense is usually not common. We live in a world where we complicate everything; I am of the opinion that if we all followed the golden rule, the world would be a better place.

The different forms of the golden rule across religions include 1

Christianity:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” – Matthew 7:12 NLT

Islam:

“None of you has faith until he loves for his brother or his neighbor what he loves for himself.”- Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Number 72,

Judaism:

“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.” – Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Buddhism:

“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” – Udana-Varga 5,1,

Hinduism:

“This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others what you would not have them do unto you.” – Mahabharata 5,1517,

Zoroastrianism:

“Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.” – Shayast-na- Shayast 13:29

Confucianism:

“Do not do unto others what you would not have them do to you.” – Analects 15:23,

Bahai:

“And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.” – Epistle to the Son of the Wolf”

Jainism:

“A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.” – Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria):

“One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.” – African proverb

In their very wonderful book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy 2, former COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg and American popular science author Adam Grant write about the concept of the platinum rule, which states that treat others as they want to be treated.

Golden Rule: treat others as you want to be treated. But when someone is suffering, instead of following the Golden Rule, we need to follow the
Platinum Rule: treat others as they want to be treated. Take a cue from the person in distress and respond with understanding—or better yet, action.

When we hear that someone we care about has lost a job, started chemo, or is going through a divorce, our first impulse is usually, “I should reach out.” Then right after that, impulses, and doubts often flood our mind.

“What if I say the wrong thing?” – Say it anyways
“What if talking about it makes her feel self-conscious?” – Be there for them anyways
“What if I’m overstepping?” – Let them tell you that.

The Platinum Rule is often attributed to Austrian-British Philosopher Karl Popper’s writing as described in The Open Society and Its Enemies, Vol. 2: Hegel, Marx, and the Aftermath.

“The golden rule is a good standard which can perhaps even be improved by doing unto others, wherever possible, as they would be done by”:

Meditations

Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt – Awakening

One Buddha is not enough; we need to have many Buddhas. – Thich Nhat Hanh

Daily Jay with Jay Shetty – So Be It! See to It!
Award-winning author Octavia E. Butler used to write the following words frequently to help her stay focused on her goals ³

“I am a Bestselling Writer. I write Bestselling Books….Every day in every way I am researching and writing my award winning Best selling Books and short stories….Everyone of my books reaches and remains for two or more months at the top of the bestseller lists….So Be It! See To It!” ⁴

According to a study led by Professor Gail Matthews of the Dominican University of California, people who wrote their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not write their goals down.