Life Question 3

Familiar philosophies of life

A simple life philosophy is expressed in the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Or in the ancient Judaic version: "What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your fellow-man." This statement was made by Rabbi Hillel in reply to an unbeliever's challenge that Hillel tell him the whole of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) while standing on one foot. After proving himself equal to the unbeliever's ploy, the good Rabbi added, "That is the whole of the Torah and the rest is but commentary. Go and learn it."

It would seem hard to argue with the golden rule. However, some have held that it is somewhat egocentric and that it might be better written, "Do unto others as they wish done unto them." Both versions are better than the revision offered by a cynic which went "Do unto others before they do unto you."

The golden rule, short as it is, is surpassed in brevity and simplicity (if not profundity) by Alfred E. Neuman's philosophy for living. As every reader of Mad Magazine knows, this philosophy is expressed in the rhetorical question: "What, me worry?" And apparently Alfred never does.

Only slightly more complex than these several philosophies is one embraced by one of my older college students. It was, he said, a "minimalist's philosophy" composed of just two reminders: (1) "What you don't spend, you don't have to earn." And (2) "What you don't say, you don't have to take back." I suggested that he consider this addition which is a favorite of mine: "When you don't go out, you discover the pleasure of not going."

In Islam there are five central observances. The Buddha taught a "noble eightfold path." And basic to Judeo-Christian religion are The Ten Commandments. This last code appears to have lost much of its force; in a national survey, only one in 10 respondents professed a belief in all 10 commandments, and four out of 10 believed in five or less.² (John Marquand wrote that he knew a fellow who was as broke as The Ten Commandments.)

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