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In this installment of the ongoing series about the Golden Rule, I want to talk about self-care. But before I get to that topic per se, let me note how nothing we ever do is ever done alone, in isolation, or independently of other people. Everything is always done in the context of our environment, and as everyone and everything on Earth shares this same planet as our context, we are all in this (and in everything) together.

In other words: “self” is an awkward concept (insofar as no-one could even exist outside of this shared context, habitat, or whatever you might want to call it — see also the homepage [ https://wants.blog ] for more related thoughts on this topic).

Nonetheless, if we do consider ourselves as individuals, separated and apart from one another, then we ought to (I feel, according to a “Golden Rule” type of sympathy for one another) practice self-care, simply in order not to become a burden upon one-another (and yet also in a self-serving way, for our own well-being, in what Adam Smith might have referred to as an “enlightened self-interest” kind of motivation).

Let me underscore one more time: In my opinion, this is definitely also a social behavior. Although it can be interpreted as a “pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps” behavior, I prefer to view it more realistically as a social act. Seen in this light, practicing self-care can easily be interpreted as an implicit request for help.

And this is precisely where the Golden Rule becomes fundamental. Let me split it up into (some of) its several parts:

• practice self-care, in order not to become a burden on others
• request help from others (who are capable of helping without being unduly burdened)
• openly acknowledge your own gratitude for any help provided
• show your own willingness to help others

Such sentiments are so fundamental to most friendships and similar relationships involving mutual support that it almost seems superfluous to point them out or to draw attention to them — as if there were something remarkable about regular and natural kindness that might need to be explained.

Today, however, I feel that the social cohesion we experience is becoming increasingly atomized and the social and supportive bonds we might experience on a daily basis may become ever more distant. Close relationships used to be a matter of close proximity. Increasingly, “close” is a matter of choice — we can choose to be close (or not) … with anyone. anywhere. anytime.

You may recall that I wrote about the film “Vicky, Christina, Barcelona” (2008) last week (see “Sparring for Literacy“). Today I am taking a more “personal” approach to pretty much the same topic (“communications”).

I feel we are all motivated (by the circumstances of distance) and to some extent need to make implicit wants more explicit. We increasingly need to actually say it out loud.