MENTAL MODEL · M9274

Do Not Impose on Others

CultureHigh supportChinese Philosophy

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Updated 2026-08-22

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

Ji suo bu yu, wu shi yu ren says that what you yourself do not want, do not impose on another. As the silver rule it offers a baseline more reliable than the golden rule's active version, treat others as you want to be treated, which can turn into an imposition of your own preferences. In product design the application is direct: if you would not use this feature yourself, do not push it on the user.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Ask the willingness question: would I accept this being done to me? - Hold the floor: whatever you would not bear, do not inflict on anyone else. - Bind the design with it: let the same baseline constrain the product and the rules.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

The golden rule projects your preferences onto the other person, and since your preferences are not universal, the projection can itself become the injury. The silver rule inverts the direction and only forbids, so it errs toward restraint, which is why it is the safer floor to build a design or an institution on.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

Before acting or designing, ask whether you would accept this treatment yourself. 2. Whatever you would not bear, remove from the plan entirely. 3. Apply the same baseline to product defaults and to team rules. 4. Check for the impositions you have stopped noticing. 5. Where you want more than restraint, add the golden rule on top.

Check to track your progress (stored locally)

Learning progress0%

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Source support: Explicit

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zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%AE%BA%E8%AF%ADZH · Explicit
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