Comments on: The Silver Rule http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2007/03/the-silver-rule/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Bird of Ill Repute Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:18:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lili http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2007/03/the-silver-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-5287 Lili Tue, 20 Mar 2007 03:48:32 +0000 http://www.lilithsaintcrow.net/journal/index.php/2007/03/08/the-silver-rule/#comment-5287 Hm. Well, I suppose you have your definition and I have mine. I don't think we're quite understanding each other. If you want to actively practice the Golden Rule, I will be the last person on earth to dissuade you. Good luck, and thanks for commenting! Hm. Well, I suppose you have your definition and I have mine. I don’t think we’re quite understanding each other. If you want to actively practice the Golden Rule, I will be the last person on earth to dissuade you. Good luck, and thanks for commenting!

]]> By: commenter http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2007/03/the-silver-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-5282 commenter Tue, 20 Mar 2007 01:10:45 +0000 http://www.lilithsaintcrow.net/journal/index.php/2007/03/08/the-silver-rule/#comment-5282 I dunno, Lilith. You're kind of arbitrarily determining the definition of the action from the victim's point of view. To my neighbor, it may look like I'm walking away from their suffering, but I can claim that I'm just going on a relaxing hike. And both of us could be right from our own point of view. This subjectivity doesn't get cleared up until we start talking about ACTIVE actions that look unambiguously the same to both parties (i.e. giving food and water). I dunno, Lilith. You’re kind of arbitrarily determining the definition of the action from the victim’s point of view. To my neighbor, it may look like I’m walking away from their suffering, but I can claim that I’m just going on a relaxing hike. And both of us could be right from our own point of view. This subjectivity doesn’t get cleared up until we start talking about ACTIVE actions that look unambiguously the same to both parties (i.e. giving food and water).

]]> By: Lili http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2007/03/the-silver-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-5280 Lili Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:17:07 +0000 http://www.lilithsaintcrow.net/journal/index.php/2007/03/08/the-silver-rule/#comment-5280 No, but I don't think you quite understand. Would you want someone to walk away from your suffering? If you wouldn't, then the Silver Rule dictates you do not walk away from the suffering of others. I do not think it's a passive rule. IMO, it's a lot more active than the Golden Rule, and harder to worm your way out of. :) No, but I don’t think you quite understand. Would you want someone to walk away from your suffering? If you wouldn’t, then the Silver Rule dictates you do not walk away from the suffering of others.

I do not think it’s a passive rule. IMO, it’s a lot more active than the Golden Rule, and harder to worm your way out of. :)

]]> By: commenter http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/2007/03/the-silver-rule/comment-page-1/#comment-5267 commenter Mon, 19 Mar 2007 03:06:41 +0000 http://www.lilithsaintcrow.net/journal/index.php/2007/03/08/the-silver-rule/#comment-5267 I see what your DHM was getting at, but I still think the Golden Rule is an improvement over the Silver Rule. Why? The Golden Rule requires us to give, love, share, and generally be active agents in the world. The Silver Rule allows passivity, which can be a form of cruelty. If someone is starving to death next door, the Silver Rule doesn't tell me to help them. It just tells me not to do anything to make their situation worse. So I could sit back, watch them die, and still be a good Buddhist, by this definition. I don't think that's very moral. Does that make me unintelligent? I see what your DHM was getting at, but I still think the Golden Rule is an improvement over the Silver Rule. Why? The Golden Rule requires us to give, love, share, and generally be active agents in the world. The Silver Rule allows passivity, which can be a form of cruelty. If someone is starving to death next door, the Silver Rule doesn’t tell me to help them. It just tells me not to do anything to make their situation worse. So I could sit back, watch them die, and still be a good Buddhist, by this definition.

I don’t think that’s very moral.

Does that make me unintelligent?

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