…the fundamental standard for all relationships is the trader principle. This principle holds that we should interact with people on the basis of the values we can trade with them - values of all sorts, including common interests in art, sports or music, similar philosophical outlooks, political beliefs, sense of life, and more. Trade, in this broad sense, is the only proper basis of any relationship—including relationships with members of our families.
I’ve been feeling this way for a while now, it’s good to hear someone else realize that this is the only way to go about conducting relationships. In the past, I’ve mistakenly dealt with people who have no value (to me). Starting today, I will only follow the “trader principle”.
