Chuck,

You've touched on something that I discuss with people all the time, and given it excellent treatment.  Great article.  Sometimes called the Platinum Rule, that of which you speak is actually the Golden Rule properly applied, perhaps?

Golden Rule: Do unto others as I would have them do unto me. I want to be treated like I want to be treated. So if I treat others like I want to be treated, I will treat them the way they want to be treated.

Indeed, this is much more challenging (and rewarding) than just treating them with my preferences.  I must come to know them (I love the line and its special meaning from the movie "Avatar" - "I see you.").  Author Kevin Hall ("Aspire") would use the word Genshai to describe how we treat people.

In Christianity, the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31) should be taken in the context of the 2nd Great Commandment (Matthew 28-29, "Love your neighbor as yourself."), but even that is often taken out of context and is mistake as the Great Commandment, which is 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.".  Do the first and in doing the second you will indeed treat/love others as you treat/love yourself.