Professor Appiah first describes The Golden Rule in two different lights. He mention the positive version, “What you wish done to yourself, do to others,” and he mentions the negative side as well, “What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others.” I believe that each of these versions give off very different meanings. One is asking you to do something, when the other version is asking you to avoid doing things. However, both versions are about respecting views that you may not agree with.

I think that his argument used a good example. Talking about how the Jehovah’s Witness would rather die than betray her way of life. Many people would see not getting a blood transfusion as crazy, but in her mind getting the transfusion would be going against everything she believed in. I believe that people do not necessarily have to agree with everyone else’s beliefs, but they should respect them. This is a simple idea that we were taught a young age, but as we grew up many people do not follow it. 

This photo shows that many religions have a different way of stating The Golden Rule, but the teacher wouldn’t accept any answer just because it wasn’t quoted from the Bible. All of the other kids had the correct idea, just the wrong source. Many people today are just as judgmental of others because of their religion or way of life.

Another point that I liked that Appiah pointed out was trying to imagine walking in someone else’s shoes. Many people do not take into mind how other people might view a specific topic. People rather just believe in what they think is right and assume everyone believes in the same ideals. Thinking this way will make for hardships when trying to interact with people that are from different areas. I am not even from a different country and I hold very different beliefs than a lot of people that I have met in Kentucky. Just because I may not agree with their way of going about things does not mean that I should judge them. People are brought up differently, and taught different ideals; this does not mean they should be harshly criticized by me or anyone else. It may be easier to believe that your ideas are the “right” ideas, but every once in a while you should take into account how others around you may feel about it, and view your way of life from their eyes before you make judgments about their life.