“Morality is dialectically trumped by something else – reason and logic. Smarter people – intellectuals – are the least likely to be immoral. It’s not because they’re “better” people morally; it’s because their rationality allows them to control their irrational, selfish impulses. A rational person understands that rationally he ought to treat others well if he wants them to treat him well. “Do as you would be done by” is a rational, not a moral, assertion. An immoral person couldn’t care less about treating others as he wants to be treated; in fact, he’s determined that he shouldn’t be treated that way. He wants complete asymmetry. Only a rational person will truly obey the Golden Rule. Why? Simply because it’s the rational thing to do. If you don’t treat others well, there’s no reason for them to treat you well. If you want a nice, civilized life, make sure you offer it to everyone else. If you don’t, the people having horrible lives will have something to say about it in due course.”