Try not to do things to others that you would not like them to do to you.

      Among many peoples in many lands for many ages there have been versions of what is commonly called "The Golden Rule". The above is a wording of it that relates to harmful acts.

      Only a saint could go through life without ever harming another. But only a criminal hurts those around him without a second thought.

      Completely aside from feelings of "guilt" or "shame" for "conscience", all of which can be real enough and bad enough, it also happens to be true that the harm one does to others can recoil on oneself.

      This version of "The Golden Rule" is also useful as a test. When one persuades someone to apply it, the person can attain a reality on what a harmful act is. It answers for one what harm is. The philosophic question concerning wrongdoing, the argument of what is wrong is answered at once on a personal basis: would you not like that to happen to you? No? Then it must be a harmful action and from society's viewpoint, a wrong action. It can awaken social consciousness. It can then let one work out what one should do and what one should not do.

L. Ron Hubbard