Yes, do as you would be done by - and not to the dark man…
““Yes, do as you would be done by - and not to the dark man and the white woman alone, but to the sorrel horse and the grey squirrel as well; not to creatures of your own anatomy alone, but to all creatures. You cannot go high enough, low enough nor far enough to find those whose bowed and broken beings will not rise up at the coming of the kindly heart, or whose souls will not darken at the touch of inhumanity. Do to beings below as you would be done by beings above you. They are our fellow mortals. They came out of the same mysterious womb of the past, are passing through the same dream, and are destined to the same melancholy end as we ourselves. Let us be kind and merciful to them.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Treat all beings, human and non‑human, with equal kindness and compassion.
In simple terms: Be kind to everyone and everything.
Key Takeaway
Practice universal compassion.
Themes
ethics
compassion
equality
environmentalism
Mood
reflective
empathetic
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- animal welfare
- environmental activism
- interpersonal relationships
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
speciesism
interconnectedness
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you extend empathy beyond people?
- What barriers prevent universal kindness?