Golden rule is the principle that people should treat others as they would like to be treated themselves. The rule is called golden to indicate that it is the finest or highest rule of life.
There are both positive and negative versions of the golden rule. One positive version is found in Christianity, in the Sermon on the Mount. During the sermon, Jesus Christ said, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Matt. 7:12, Revised Standard Ver-sion). A similar version appears in Luke 6:31.
The golden rule in a negative form states that people should not treat others the way they do not want to be treated themselves. Several ancient Greek and Jewish thinkers taught the negative form. The Chinese philosopher Confucius taught both the positive and negative versions of the golden rule.
The golden rule is sometimes identified with the idea of altruism. Altruism is the notion that one should value the welfare of others more highly than one’s own self-interest.
