Some people read things like that literally. Others like a metaphor.
I can't see the reference right now, but I thinik "would you teach your kids that..." as a metaphor, in a wider sense: Would you teach anyone, either to actively teach ethics or passively (because they asked), that ...
For instance it can be like the relationship between a manager and an employee/newer co-worker:
- Hello! Sorry to bother, I found this suitcase, I think it belongs to a visitor. What should I do with it?
- a) Turn it in at front desk, there it's likely the person who lost it will go look for it. -or-
- b) Haha, that loser! Keep the suitcase, it looks like a nice one. Feel free to dump the contents if it's of no use.
On the other hand
- Hello! Sorry to bother, but I think I lost my cellphone in the cafeteria.
- a) Ask at front desk, someone who found it will probably turn it in there -or-
- b) You're so pathetic loser! You shouldn't have even asked such a stupid question, lowlife. Go buy a new one.
There is also the case, you get something by mistake/find something but at that point of time you don't do anything with besides "What's this? I'll see what it is later" and then forget about it; some of us doesn't have perfect memory, and timetimes the situation is a bit squeezed with tons of things happening at the same time.
Then the question is, when you recall this item later, will you take advantage of it (use it for personal gain/sell it etc) or not (if it's a valuable, try to return it).
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