Aude somnium ignota.

The Golden Rule revolves around reciprocity, mirroring actions that reflect on society's perception of equality. However, our society and the world are both unpredictable. We like to think that reciprocity (as a natural force) exists, that karma will cover us inevitably whether it be generous or malicious deeds. Thus if someone decides that another individual is not reciprocating the same deeds, presuming that these are good deeds, then they deem that individual as “not worthy” of committing good deeds for. Their effort is seemingly “wasted” as it is not being reciprocated.

That’s the problem with the Golden Rule, despite its good intentions. People expect reciprocity in return for their actions. If they commit a good action, they expect (or demand in some cases) something good in return. These actions require effort, and effort usually requires times and sometimes money. If that effort is not being reciprocated, then the person receiving that effort is not deemed “worthy” of receiving it anymore. Thus, relationships and friendships become tense. However, it’s also what’s making friendships hard for some people. Some people may not be able to reciprocate that effort possibly due to time and economic constraints, thus it makes it difficult for them to maintain social connections with those who embrace the skewed mindset of the Golden Rule.

The Golden Rule created expectations that have been melded into our conception of the natural order of things. We believe that the expected reciprocity “promised” by the Rule is inevitable in our lives. But the truth is not everything is going to be balanced out in one’s favor. At least not all the time. Just look at communities and cultures who have been oppressed by dominant societies. Does the Golden Rule apply to them? Because if it did, then the world would seemingly be in a state of constant equality. But the world doesn’t operate like that. Thus, the Rule creates divides within society based on how much its communities can reciprocate the highest quality of “good deeds” committed by a sect of people. This leads to hierarchies, differences in socioeconomic status, and ultimately the oppressive practices against non-dominant/minority communities.

Thus, the Golden Rule is an illusion...at least in the present day. Maybe in the beginning, it was legitimately designed to create equality; but we have over time skewed its meaning and redesigned it to be more part of the natural order and less a consideration.