The golden rule is a good foundation for all of us to think about as a guide for our social interactions with each other. It is also a foundation from which we can develop a few goals and establish boundary conditions to limit our exercise of power. This appendix article explores two of the more obvious areas of our lives to help us in those endeavors.

Part One - Our Common and Different Attributes

Our values are to include an understanding and appreciation of our inherited differences, both physical and intellectual, such that we do not praise or demean anyone based on genetic origin or its benefits or consequences. That we are not equal is obvious in many ways, and our perceptions about our differences drive our behaviors at unconscious or subliminal levels from the time we are very young through old age.

For example, some people inherit what we would call great natural beauty. We respond to that beauty by wanting to honor or copulate with those people and the reason has nothing to do with developed values. It is part of our pre-programmed genetic behavior to seek out the best people to lead or as partners to reproduce. Our genetic, pre-programmed inheritance regarding the urge to copulate is one of the very fortunate and unarguable components of all sentient creatures, for without it we would not willfully reproduce, for reproduction creates responsibilities, especially in mammals.

Our inherited aptitudes determine our ability to learn and, in general, the actual amount of specific knowledge that we may acquire. Note that I said amount of specific knowledge, not holistic or well-rounded knowledge or wisdom. Aptitudes and developed intellect affect us like natural beauty, in that we find ourselves seeking social relationships with those in whom we have significant comfort in living life day to day. We naturally avoid relationships with those whose deepest thoughts appear too superficial or too complex for us to enjoy or understand, respectively. We make one exception with regard to our young children, for their lack of experience is the basis of our responsibility to protect them and to teach them what they will need to know to become successful adults in our terms.

Let us now examine a few of the more curious and telling aspects of our behaviors regarding beauty and intellect. The first topic has to do with learned reproductive practices that collide with our perceptions. For example, what does it mean if you find yourself wanting to copulate with someone of a different race or significantly different cultural background? Yes, most of us do recognize the tribal social implications of that decision process regarding marriage and children. Yet, our individual perception of natural beauty appears to be exempt from rational thought. This is a most telling truth about the difference between our natural needs and desires and learned social behaviors. Our genetic pre-programming can tell us to act on something in a manner that is in sharp contrast with what we have been taught culturally.

Social exploration of our aptitudes and developed intellect are, shall we say, not subject to quite the same cultural limitations or "teachings" as copulation, marriage and reproduction. We find our behaviors rather more egalitarian in socialistic democracies such as within the USA. Yet even there we experience favoritism and exclusion based on racial, cultural or religious differences. The "reason" given has to do with perception of behaviors and values, i.e. they are not like us (and we are the good guys). One thing we have learned is that we are very comfortable with people of virtually all racial and ethnic or cultural backgrounds in business and education, when the "admission ticket" is based on knowledge and ability and mutually agreed purpose as opposed to racial or cultural inheritance. We may thus "copulate" intellectually in business or education and socially in sports, at will, without negative consequences. Indeed, we can profit handsomely from that enlightened practice, and we have so done. This is the gain from having a nation known as a "melting pot" in cultural, ethnic and racial composition.

What value or values should we apply to the differences in the reproductive and intellectual circumstances discussed above? At face value, we see that the only reason we can mutually benefit with others of vastly different origin, in business or sports, is by having mutually agreed upon purposes and shared values that drive and control our individual behaviors. We cooperate in the belief that our team or business partners and we can have a win-win result as opposed to a zero-sum game. It is very clear that that situation is not found easily in society at large or within our extended families for copulation, marriage and reproduction. Is there not something analogous to the business environment that might apply?

Destiny does not allow for discriminatory behaviors based on race or ethnic or cultural background. Destiny does allow for individual rights in accepting or rejecting cultural or ethnic practices of others. You have the right to choose your friends and sexual partners and marriage mates, provided they also decide by free choice to choose you. No one has the right to impose their will or preferences in those areas on others, even within a family. You make your choices and you are responsible with your partner(s) to develop your own mutually beneficial social contract. No one outside that relationship is responsible for you or to you, nor are you responsible to follow the likes or dislikes of others. You are, however, responsible for the wellbeing of any children you create.

Destiny also has the explicit goal of using genetic engineering as we realize our future to eliminate known physical problems of racial or ethnic/cultural origin and inherited aptitude differences. Destiny also requires limited, one for one, reproduction for almost all of us. Those changes will eliminate our less enlightened social behaviors without destroying our individual freedom of choice regarding careers, friends, interests, copulation and reproduction. We will value aspects of diversity that have beneficial consequences for each of us. We will not impose on each other for the remainder.

Part Two - Honesty

What can we say about any relationship in which candor or honesty lowers our chances of getting something that we think we want? Imagine what little value we would get from the world of the physical sciences if we allowed only our wishes instead of bounded conditions and complete, consistent, demonstrable facts to drive our actions and our conclusions. Candor and honesty are, quite simply, the only path to overall success for everyone.

The Destiny position for the use of drug assisted lies detectors is simply a necessary reality for us to unlearn the practices of personal and cultural lying for perceived personal advantage. Similarly, complete truth in advertising and involvement in legislative deliberations before the fact of a realized law are two other examples of what we must correct in our behaviors. Deception and metering of the truth are not respectable or responsible. More to the point, they ultimately undermine the overall success for the involved or affected people.

The goal, then, is to seek realism in all our endeavors for our mutual benefit. Honesty is essential if we expect to realize that goal. Enhanced mental capability and education for all of us will underpin the "common sense" judgement for proceeding in that direction. Our values can be markedly and consistently improved and reflected across all our activities. That will be achieved through our genetic, conceptual and attitudinal improvements, not by servile admission of weakness and oppression. Let us wait no longer to change those past and current realities!