What we are to do when dealing with each other is to test (or discover) if the ethic each of us has is mutually compatible. It would be at this point that we would determine if we can overlook the points of difference or not. Usually it is easier to do this if people are from the same cultural background as the basis for the personal ethic is usually the same. Of course, there are some ethical principles that transcend culture, such as: do not steal, do not lie, work hard and be kind to others. These principles are found in all cultures around the world and can be said to be part of a global ethic, but how they are expressed can be the cause of differences between people.
We must do more, however, than merely test other people’s characters. We must also continually test our own ethos to ensure that WE are also ethical in a positive way. This I feel is truly the heart of this Maxim as applied to ourselves first and then to others in the way that all the Maxims seem to be.