Golden Rule (Passive Version)
Do not do to others what they would not want done to them. This is the heart of fairness -- breaking it leads to punishment to restore balance, not to control.
Frequently asked
Why passive? Why not the active version ("do unto others as you would have them do unto you")?
The active version compels action — it says you must give. That requires knowing what others want and forces you to provide it, which can justify coercion ("I'm helping you whether you like it or not"). The passive version only forbids harm: it asks nothing of you except not to cross boundaries. It needs no mind-reading, no forced charity, and no authority deciding what counts as good. It is a constraint, not a command — and constraints are enforceable without victims.
Does the passive Golden Rule mean you should never help anyone?
No — it means no one can force you to help. Kindness, charity, and care are voluntary choices the framework celebrates (they live in Commentary). The rule draws the line between what is required (do no harm) and what is admirable but optional (do good). A system that forces giving turns charity into theft and the giver into a victim.