platinum rule

This is not my idea. But I think it's a good one. As memes go? I think it should be spread far and wide. So I'll plant the seed here. Maybe others will pick it up and spread it, too.

Golden rule: Do as you would be done by. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Platinum rule (paraphrasing): Give others what they ASK for. What THEY think they need. When in doubt? ASK. Help them *find out* what they want, what they need. They will LOVE you for it. It may be like pulling teeth; they may seem ungrateful. They may accuse you of prying, of manipulation. They may try to run and hide, fearful of being exposed, unmasked, their secrets uncovered.

But in the end? They’ll be grateful.

And you, and *they*, will have shifted – the balance of the universe will have changed for the better.

Remember: People tend to give what *they* want, what *they* need. Their ‘giving’ is their own needs disguised as – what – generosity? consideration? altruism, maybe.

But there ain’t no sich of a thing. Altruism doesn’t exist – only the very human need to be useful, to be of service, to be valued and wanted and have a place to fit in, to BELONG somewhere. A place, in life, to call home.

So that’s why we do things.

So why fight it? Why not go whole hog – make yourself ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSIBLE, and give people what they actually ask for.

In the end, it’s a *lot* less effort, once you stop fighting it. There’s no guesswork, and, if it turns out to be the wrong thing? Well, they *asked* for it. :-)