The phrase “treat everyone the way you want to be treated” is a universal concept that should be heeded by everyone, no matter the circumstance.
In the face of anger and hostility, it can be easy to lose sight of the golden rule. No matter what the case, it is important to control rampant emotion and empathize with the other side.
Some people question the point of empathizing with those who are not abiding by the golden rule, such as getting yelled at by a customer and so on. Often times it is impossible or hard to see the situation or past events that would cause someone to take out their anger on others.
In the case of elderly people, it is important to realize that their more-irritated nature can come from a multitude of things, such as loss of independence, a lack of understanding with the world around them or even more serious things like dementia. It can even be as simple as someone just having a bad day.
Put yourself into the shoes of another person, as seeing where the other side comes from can lead to a less tense situation. It is selfish to only consider your own side and not make an effort to empathize with others.
In addition to reaching an understanding of the other person or people, treating everyone with respect and compassion paints a favorable picture of the empathizer. A good employee can look past the attitude of a customer, which makes said employee seem to be on the favorable side of an altercation. Perhaps even empathizing with a hostile person can calm them down. Nobody wants to be greeted with anger when they are experiencing stress, anxiety or having a bad day. They want to be shown compassion.
While general kindness and empathy may be hard to find or even replicate today, it is vital to society that everyone tries to employ this principle. A more compassionate society leads to a more compassionate and better world.
(Photo Credit/Creative Commons)
