Thursday, February 20, 2014

DO NO HARM

What's with this human tendency to want evertything spelled out for them, for hard and fast rules for everything. History shows us that approach leads to regimentation and recurring rounds of tyranny of one form or another.

Religions just love rules and judgments and whole books of the bible are devoted to lists of them. They weren't definitive enough, so the Jews invented a talmud to make it even more intrusive and hard to live by.

I agree that love is the most important guiding principle, but I think the principle doctors try to live by is the best overall -- do no harm.

You don't have to memorize endless lists to put that into practice. All one has to do is ask: Will this hurt or diminish the happiness and well-being of anyone or anything?

If it will, just don't do it!

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