--- title: "Reflective Ethics — Fair Balance Plus (K023)" heading: "Reflective Ethics — Fair Balance Plus (K023)" subheading: "" updated: "2025-11-05T06:47:00+00:00" words: 895 url: https://ananda.icu/talks/kernel-talks/k023-reflective-ethics-fair-balance-plus description: "Basic ethics. Reciprocal interaction. Golden middle. Fair and just balance in our dealings and all things. We've all heard that — but whoever walks the talk? Self-awareness. Introspection. Owning up your behavior. Snapping out of your self-absorbed state of entitlement. Let us balance ourselves. No other remedy to this world." ... [◂ Kernel Talks](https://ananda.icu/cat/talks/kernel-talks) ⁘ [📺 Video ▸](https://ananda.icu/video#K023) [🎶 Audio ▸](https://ananda.icu/audio#K023) ⁘ [LINK 🔗](https://ananda.icu/talks/kernel-talks/k023-reflective-ethics-fair-balance-plus) [PDF ](https://ananda.icu/files/pdf/talks/k023-reflective-ethics-fair-balance-plus.pdf) [MP4 ](https://ananda.icu/files/video/talks/k023-reflective-ethics-fair-balance-plus.mp4) [OGG ](https://ananda.icu/files/audio/talks/k023-reflective-ethics-fair-balance-plus.ogg) **Words:** 895 ⁘ **Length:** 06:17 min ⁘ **Created:** 2025-07-12 ⁘ **Updated:** 2025-11-05 Basic ethics. Reciprocal interaction. Golden middle. Fair and just balance in our dealings and all things. We've all heard that — but whoever walks the talk? I'll hammer you with critique — but won't take any of it. I expect from you a dozen things — but won't give you one. I'll share my monologue — but won't listen to you in turn. Where fifty-fifty balance isn't the reality of the context, we compensate in other fields to level the shared scales. If you keep taking more than you give, it all leeches dry. If you give more than you take — drop in a bit of surplus — you fuel a positive cycle, contribute to shared momentum. Mind your own scales and balance — watch the world change. Self-awareness. Introspection. Owning up your behavior. Snapping out of your self-absorbed state of entitlement. Let us balance ourselves. No other remedy to this world. _#KernelTalks #Ethics #Balance #GoldenRule #Fairness #DoUntoOthers #Giving #Sharing #ScalesOfLife #AnandaICU_ [ Table of Contents ] - ¶ Common Examples of Unfair Interaction ↴ - ¶ Balance the Scales and Tip Toward Positive ↴ - ¶ Balance Yourself — Renounce Your Entitlement ↴ **Into reciprocal interaction**, reflective ethics, the golden middle, and all that. Things that most everyone knows, few remember, and even fewer actually apply consistently in practical life. The sorts of things that will significantly improve the quality of life for you and for everyone about you. So a couple of words are in order, as a reminder. ### Common Examples of Unfair Interaction ¶ In way of simple examples. Suppose I give you feedback and I critique what you have done, and I drop you 10 packets of input, but when you give me feedback, when you give me a critique, I will start getting itchy after the first package. And I will start being allergic and agitated after the second and the third. That is obviously not in balance. Again, I might expect you to give me or do for me a dozen things, but I'll hardly give you one and do half a thing in your interest. Obviously out of balance. I might have a bunch to say, to share, a proper package, and enter a 10-15 minute monologue before my companions. Okay. Do read the room though, if everyone is actually inclined and interested, but beyond that, go for it. Some things need their proper measure and length. Having said all of that, are you going to be patient, be receptive, and give the same courtesy to all of your companions? Let them all speak their 15 in turn — and you will be quiet, instead of the spokesperson at the fore? Are you going to do that? If not, it's out of balance. ### Balance the Scales and Tip Toward Positive ¶ Now, yes, in the real world, in practical life and its many contexts, it is often not quite as simple and clear cut as a 50-50 even split reflection. There are situations, contexts, there are roles that we assume. Say, for example, the boss and the employees. The boss holds a particular directive position, gets to tell the others what to do and how to do it, the others take their trouble and do it. But they are duly compensated for the trouble. There is a certain contract and a ratio of exchange, where in the proper balance of all things, a 50-50 or better is accomplished at the end of the day. Really, likewise with our peers, those on a level with us, without roles assumed. If on this field I cannot reciprocate, then on the other field, I will return the balance and what is due, in order to keep the scales level — or tipped a bit more your way. For it is only ever, when we drop in a bit of surplus, that things actually get rolling, that things develop — there is a positive evolution. If it's always a bit less from me and a bit more from others — with a stance, "Why should I? They did not." That is the negative loop. It leads to decline, leads to degradation, to a reduction for everyone involved. Give a bit more than you take. Simple. ### Balance Yourself — Renounce Your Entitlement ¶ Beyond that, as you ponder the scales in the mirror, do always hold yourself to a standard higher than others. Do not ever impose upon others a standard higher than you hold yourself to. If I, myself, do not match this standard, then surely I won't expect anyone else to match that standard either. Rather, be an exemplar, be a pioneer in setting a higher standard that you hold yourself to. Others may be inspired to reflect that. As noted, all of these are basics, very basics, but they are, alas, so rarely remembered in practical action. Why is that? What actually happens — that we engage against our better understanding? What happens is simply, you become infatuated with yourself. You are self-deluded and assume a certain entitlement unto yourself. And in that, you filter your complete field of cognition. Your memory is compromised by your deluded state, by the drives of your ego, your individuation before the interests of others. Really, very, very basic, again. And to that — self-awareness, introspection, and owning up your decrepit self-absorbed state. Those are the only remedies. Let us try to apply, for ourselves — so that others too may get over themselves, and we can all be better off together in mutually fulfilling harmony. Thank you.