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Do unto others 20% better than you would expect them to do unto you, to correct for subjective error.
Linus Pauling
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Treat others better than you would want to be treated to account for personal biases.

Linus Pauling’s quote emphasizes the importance of empathy and intentionality in our interactions with others. By suggesting that we should treat others 20% better than we expect in return, Pauling highlights the idea that our expectations can be clouded by personal biases, and thus, we should strive for greater kindness and understanding to mitigate those subjective errors in judgment.

Themes

EmpathyRelationshipsKindnessSubjective ErrorTreat Others

In practice

Example use cases

In a staff meeting, you might share this quote to encourage team members to support each other.

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Every aspect of the world today - even politics and international relations - is affected by chemistry.
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I like people. I like animals, too-whales and quail, dinosaurs and dodos. But I like human beings especially, and I am unhappy that the pool of human germ plasm, which determines the nature of the human race, is deteriorating.
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Just one living cell in the human body is, more complex than New York City.
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The way to get good ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw the bad ones away.
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By the proper intakes of vitamins and other nutrients and by following a few other healthful practices from youth or middle age on, you can, I believe, extend your life and years of well-being by twenty-five or even thirty-five years.
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