Respect. Everyone wants it, but not everyone gets it. How do we get respect? How do we respect ourselves? What about a general respect?
Well, let's start off with what respect is and what it means. From dictionary.com, I found a fairly basic definition that I thought was good and concise. Respect: to hold in esteem or honor. I think that covers it well. So I think it's fairly obvious that everyone wants respect. We all know what it's like to not have respect. I, for one, don't enjoy it, and I'm sure you probably feel the same way.
Even thought everyone wants respect, some people can't even give it to themselves. People who don't respect themselves will have an impossibly harder time gaining respect from other people. Follow me as I try to make an analogy. Say someone has a car. They don't really care what happens to their car. They slam doors, leave trash in it, and don't knock the snow/mud off their feet when they get in. If you are riding in this car with this person, you will probably be less careful about trash and dirt than you would be if they had a clean car and were careful about tracking dirt into their car. You trackin'? If someone doesn't respect himself, he will have a harder time earning respect from others. Disrespecting oneself can manifest itself in many ways, from not taking care of oneself to constantly denigrating yourself. Lots of examples could be listed. You have to respect yourself though. I mean, if you want respect, what better place to start than from yourself?
As for gaining respect from other people, I just recently saw a show involving a raccoon and a bluebird. They feel like they just don't get any respect. You can check it out if you want, right here. Anyways, Mordecai and Rigby notice that people who are good at things tend to get respect. This is fairly true. Do you respect people that don't do anything? Not really (at least, I don't very much). Respect isn't something that is given to just anybody. It has to be earned.
I would say there is also a general respect we should have for people, otherwise known as basic human decency. It's amazing how many people don't even care about people around them. Don't do that, it makes you look like a jerk. Seriously, it really isn't that hard to be a halfway decent person, but a lot of people tend to have a problem with it. I'm sure we all know of plenty of examples.
In summary: Respect. Respect your superiors, respect your elders, respect yourself, and respect your surroundings. Do it.
Questions:
-What are some things that you respect in others?
-What are some instances of people disrespecting their surroundings that bother you?
-How do you try to gain respect?
-Other thoughts, comments, criticism, scathing remarks, etc?
Final thought: I started writing this a few days ago, and finished it now. Since then, I found it amazing how much I noticed people talking about or referencing respect.
Good work, Zac.
ReplyDeleteTo answer one of your questions (and this may or may not make any sense because it's late and I'm sorta zoning): What I respect in others. Personally, I respect when someone cherishes their family, friends, and everyone around them. They say they love them and SHOW it.
Which leads me to something else I respect: backing up one's words with one's actions. This one is big for me. This not only leads to respect but also trust in that person. I've seen that backfire, where someone didn't do so, and I lost respect for that person.
Back to my first point about family and friends: I personally find someone worthy of respect if they respect those around them. If they don't, then they don't deserve it either. There's a difference between disrespect and light-hearted teasing and joshing. I can still respect someone who knows how to have fun with their loved ones, as long as it doesn't cross a line into straight up disrespect. This line stretches and shrinks depending on the friend/family member, so it should be figured out just how far you can go without hurting the other person's feelings.
No one's perfect. I mean, I know I disrespect people I love at times, particularly my family. So I won't lose all respect for someone just because they fall short sometimes. It's when one constantly does not showing any respect for those around them, or think about how they would feel or think, before one speaks or acts.
Or when it comes to backing up one's words with their actions: people fall short, they break promises. But again- it's whether it's an "oops" or a constant thing that would personally make me lose respect for you.
Eh, this is probably pretty bad for an English major... Not organized enough. Mostly stream of consciousness. Probably some typos. I didn't proof it. But whatever... it's almost 1 am. This isn't an essay. Don't judge. :)
Becca, thank you very much for the comment. I think you touched on a lot of things that I didn't make it too. Also, I don't proofread anything either, and it's definitely stream of consciousness in the blog. Works out alright for me, right? :)
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting thing to lend my thoughts to while being here in mada. I'm seeing daily that poverty can play a huge role in the respect that people show, mainly for themselves and their possessions. I have seen both ends of the spectrum, the people who have very little but still care for it, keep their stuff clean and organized, and then the people who seem to have an attitude of, well, it's already messed up, a few more dints won't really matter. I suppose it all comes back to how you respond to yourself and your situation, and then from there, how you respond to others.
ReplyDeleteHere's an ingrediant to respect (and love and justice and compassion): dignity. Ya'll got it, it just demands to be recognized and upheld.
ReplyDelete"Don't do that, it makes you look like a jerk."
ReplyDeleteMy favorite line.
But in all seriousness, nice post.