The Almighty Dollar vs. the Golden Rule

Growing up, there was one life lesson that stood above the rest: treat others the way you want to be treated. It was so important it earned a nickname, “The Golden Rule.” The idea was simple. If you lived life by this one rule, you were most likely going to be considered a good person. After all, people generally don’t want to be treated like garbage. By putting good out into the world, you could reasonably expect to receive good in return.The Golden Rule isn’t just some niche idea tucked into Sunday School lessons. It’s everywhere. Practically every religion or philosophy worth its salt has some version of “treat others the way you want to be treated.” Christianity flat-out says it in Luke 6:31. Judaism phrases it as, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad teaches that one cannot truly believe until they want for others what they want for themselves. Hinduism teaches not to cause pain if you wouldn’t want it done to you. Buddhism echoes the same: don’t treat others in ways you would find hurtful. Confucius advised not to impose on others what you wouldn’t want for yourself. Taoism, the Baha’i Faith, Sikhism, they all express the same idea. Even the ancient Stoics, long before church pews and temple bells, reminded people not to do to others what they wouldn’t want done to them.It is one of the few principles that cuts across continents and centuries without needing to be reworded or rebranded. That kind of staying power tells you something. It tells you this isn’t just religious talk. It’s a universal human truth. And it is just as relevant in the school cafeteria or your next family dinner as it is in scripture.Yet somehow, in America in 2025, our leaders have completely forgotten this simple truth. Instead, they have made repeated efforts to drag us back to something resembling the divine right of kings.One of the most important things my parents instilled in me is that no single person is more important than another. Yes, some people have very important jobs, and the work they do may save lives or inspire millions. But at a basic level, we are all human beings. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all strive for things and feel the sting of defeat when we fall short. That pain and emotion is what makes the human experience so distinctive. And if we can understand the potential pain we cause others, we can work to avoid creating it in the first place.But looking at the modern American landscape, I see fewer and fewer people who genuinely care about others. Thrift stores offer a perfect microcosm of what I mean. There was a time when certain segments of the population shopped at thrift stores because that was what they could afford. If you were willing to dig through endless racks of outdated suits and jackets, sometimes you could find a great deal on a quality item you otherwise couldn't afford.Now, in 2025, people have made careers out of going to thrift stores, filling carts with the best items, and reselling them online. Many of them even film themselves doing it. Their followers will then pay extra for the privilege of buying directly from their favorite YouTube influencer. Some might say, “Who cares? It’s just a few people working hard and making money.” And while that’s not technically wrong, it misses the bigger picture.Thrift stores have responded by raising prices on some of the nicer items to slow down resellers. That means those items are now out of reach for the very customers the store was designed to serve. And beyond that, resellers are effectively stripping the shelves of the best clothing ; clothes that could help a struggling family send their child to school in something name-brand. Instead, those items are being boxed up and shipped off for double the price.I understand that Americans have been financially squeezed and everyone is looking for ways to make a few extra bucks. But when your side hustle involves robbing a community resource so you can turn a profit, you’ve stopped thinking about anyone but yourself. And that violates everything we should stand for as a society.You might be tempted to blame the Republican Party for this trend. They’ve certainly committed their share of cruel offenses in the past decade. But the real culprit is capitalism itself. By putting a price tag on everything, we’ve fundamentally altered the way we see the world.Time becomes money. A vacation isn’t about rest or memory-making. It’s measured in how much income you’re missing out on while you’re away. And when you meet someone new, one of the first questions is, “What do you do for a living?” Why not ask, “How do you like to spend your time?” That question tells you who someone is, not just what they do.Because we live in a society that judges people based on how much money they make. If you say you’re a hedge fund manager, most people will want to keep the conversation going and maybe hope you buy the next round of drinks. If you say you’re a janitor at a high school, you’ll probably hear, “Well, it was great meeting you. Hope you have a nice trip,” followed by a polite exit.Is one of those jobs more important than the other? I would argue yes. And that it’s the janitor. But that’s a whole other article.The point is this. Our society assigns value based on wealth. People believe that financial success is proof of God’s favor. If you’re rich, you must be righteous. If you’re poor, you must be lacking. And I’m here to tell you that is absolute nonsense.No one is better than anyone else. If you’re Catholic, like I am, you know we’re all sinners. None of us is perfect. We should treat one another with love and kindness and work to build a world that reflects those values. We should love our neighbors. We should stop enforcing petty border rules. We should welcome people who want to move here and help them adapt so that we all grow and thrive together.We should learn about other cultures not just out of curiosity but out of respect and empathy. That’s what we are called to do. Being a living, breathing human means trying to understand the world around us, and that includes the people living in it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scottbarzilla.substack.com