Respect

[bladespark]

I remember having a long conversation that bordered on being an argument with somebody, I think Synfony, about respect. I don't think I really explained it very well, honestly. I was saying that I don't automatically respect everyone I meet. That my respect has to be earned first, so most people don't have my respect at all.

Respect can mean a number of different things, though. To me it tends to me something like honor and high regard. Somebody I respect is somebody who I think of as better than myself. Somebody who has qualities that I admire and aspire to. Obviously I cannot give this form of repect to a person that I do not know. I don't know what qualities they have, so I don't know if they have any to admire.

I think the problem I had in that argument is that "respect" can also mean the simple right to be treated with basic human dignity.

That first a person has to earn. The second everybody is entitled to until they lose it. Of course some people do lose it, and see two posts down for what happens then. *grin*

This 3 am ramble was brought to you by Violent Acres.

Comments

[jfoxfire.livejournal.com]

this is ramdom how far are you on the hand paws and tail hope i am not buging you.i just like to know how far you are on it.

[silveradept]

I think more people consider the first kind of respect you mention to be admiration, a completely different thing. Respect has become the word that means "You may not like it, but you can't/shouldn't do anything about it." and carries that connotation. You have to respect everyone's right to live and such, but those people whom you admire are the ones you want to be like.

Or something like that. More and more, I think respect has a negative connection, and a discussion about respect generally defaults to the second one rather than the first.

hmm

[aazhie.livejournal.com]

silbveradept has an interesting point. But i dolike the author's williness to tell people they are being assholes. People act like asses all the time, and only stop when someone points it out. I really try to do it without beinga bitch myself... :P

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Not done yet. I will tell you when I am done.

[jfoxfire.livejournal.com]

i respect you.ok

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I tend to go for respect as the second definition and esteem as the first.

Or I look at respect as quantitive. Everyone is due a base level of respect (unless they lose it) and not giving that basic respect, basic good manners, basic consideration is just wrong. But some people can earn a great deal of respect - it's a matter of amount