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Over the course of a significant portion of my life, I have unconsciously adhered to an unwritten code; one that is easy to comprehend, challenging to put into practice at times, but always rewarding in the long run when it is followed faithfully.
This straightforward philosophy is very similar to the Golden Rule, which is also commonly referred to as the law of reciprocity. Around the world, the concept of the Golden Rule can be found in a great number of different traditions and philosophies.
A number of ancient civilizations, including Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, and Persia, are responsible for the transmission of these traditions, which date back thousands and thousands of years. The implications are magnificent to contemplate; despite the fact that people are separated geographically, they share a common ideology and set of morals.
In spite of the fact that they are separated by thousands of years that have been sanctified by war, the desire to live in peace has not changed.
However, despite the fact that I have the utmost respect and admiration for the Golden Rule, it is still incomplete because it does not address an essential topic, which is how to deal with individuals who unrepentantly violate its doctrine.
Do No Harm, But Take No Shit
You should always treat other people with kindness and respect, just as you would like to be treated yourself. This is something that is fairly common knowledge for most people. However, if someone is obviously treating you with disrespect, you should not stoop to their level like a fool, but you should also not tolerate their bullshit either.
Due to the fact that tolerating inappropriate behavior is the same as accepting it, and accepting something that ought to be rejected in any case, indirectly reinforces the idea that it is acceptable in the mind of the person who is doing the wrongdoing.
In these particular situations, it is obvious that a certain level of pragmatic logic needs to be exercised; as the proverb goes, if we were to stop and throw stones at every dog that barks at us, we would never actually arrive at our destination.
Let childish irrelevancies remain as they are, but never hesitate to challenge something that is obviously deserving of being challenged. Not avoiding conflict, but learning how to deal with it in a healthy way is something we need to learn.
Because it is an inevitable aspect of life, regardless of whether we like it or not. When one avoids something that is socially unacceptable, it does not eliminate the presence of something that is sinister; rather, it only encourages it. Even if you are filled with fear or anxiety, you have no choice but to advocate for yourself.
In the event that you choose to remain silent, the feelings of regret and betrayal of self that you will have to endure on a daily basis will be much more difficult to bear than any of the consequences that may be incurred.
By choosing to avoid the shared responsibility that each of us carries of challenging injustice, we are choosing to impede not only our own personal development but also the development of our society as a whole. It is a conscious decision on our part to live in a world where bullies and oppressors thrive, despite the fact that they constitute a very small minority of the population.
Nevertheless, each time we make the decision to advocate for ourselves, not only does it become simpler to do so, but with each minor victory over injustice, our self-assurance and bravery to confront it and triumph over it on larger platforms grows.
In the long run, this is beneficial to us in every facet of life and has a significant impact on our society as a whole.
Do no harm, but take no shit.
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