The Golden Rule is fairness mistaken for love.
Field Notes
In a culture built around exchange, even care becomes a bargain: I give this, you give the same; I respect you, you respect me. The Golden Rule fits easily because it still begins with the self—I will give you what I would want.
But love is not equal payment. It is the practice of moving beyond the ledger and letting another life matter without constantly measuring what comes back. When both people are protecting their side of the exchange, neither fully falls into love.