| Abstrakt: |
The Golden Rule enjoins us to treat others as we would like to be treated. But inherent in the Rule is an assumption of similarity: that others are like ourselves and therefore want to be treated similarly. Essential similarity implies a single, absolute reality, and such thinking is the foundation of ethnocentrism. The Golden Rule leads us to a sympathetic communication strategy, whereby we assume others think and feel the same way we do, given similar circumstances. To overcome the Golden Rule, we must assume essential differences among people and allow for multiple realities. When we apply these principles to ourselves, it leads us to the communication strategy of empathy, whereby we imaginatively experience the world from another person's perspective. This empathic ability can be developed by following a progression of six interrelated steps: Unlike the Golden Rule, empathic communication encourages interracial and intercultural sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
