8/13/24

Ethics 101 by John Maxwell is not complicated to understand. In his book, he simplifies all of ethics and all ethical theories in his argument that the only ethical guideline that should be applied is the golden rule. He argues that whenever we are faced with an ethical dilemma, we should always just do whatever we would want others to do to us if things were the other way around. Some would argue that the golden rule is too basic to be used in all situations, but I think that the golden rule is actually the most advanced ethical theory in history.

Think of the teachings of histories greatest religious leaders and philosophers; perhaps names come to mind such as Jesus, Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Gandhi. Regardless of your personal religious beliefs, it can be acknowledged that all these famous individuals’ teachings have one thing in common. They all thought versions of the “Golden Rule.” John Maxwell makes this point in Ethics 101, and calls the Golden rule the only moral/ethical guidepost that transcends culture, religion, and time. Clearly an idea that’s easily simplistic would not have been able to become that pervasive through all cultures. For this reason, the golden rule is advanced and an intelectually complex idea.

Humans are born naturally selfish beings. Even from a baby’s first breath, he screams at the world to give it food, care, and attention. As a human gets older, it’s supreme interest in furthering itself becomes more sophisticated and subtle, but it is still there. The golden rule requires one to put oneself in the other person’s point of view, and to stop thinking only of one’s needs, instead valuing the needs of others. Acting in such a way that doesn’t primarily benefit oneself and instead benefits others is in direct opposition to human nature. This is another reason why the golden rule, while on the surface an simplistic ideal, is actually the most advanced ethical theory known to man.