Understanding Mutual Respect ? Is there Hope?

Question

Sometimes we are brutally reminded of the hate and ignorance in our society. (the recent "texas chainsaw massacre" on YA this past hour)

Keep the faith people. On an anonymous public forum like YA many more disturbed "degree holders" will visit and insult us. We cannot prevent this.

Excuse me if I post another piece on RESPECT which I find relevant.

Respect has great importance in everyday life. As children we are taught (one hopes) to respect our parents, teachers, and elders, school rules and traffic laws, family and cultural traditions, other people's feelings and rights, our country's flag and leaders, the truth and people's differing opinions. And we come to value respect for such things; when we're older, we may shake our heads (or fists) at people who seem not to have learned to respect them. We develop great respect for people we consider exemplary and lose respect for those we discover to be clay-footed, and so we may try to respect only those who are truly worthy of our respect. We may also come to believe that, at some level, all people are worthy of respect. We may learn that jobs and relationships become unbearable if we receive no respect in them; in certain social milieus we may learn the price of disrespect if we violate the street law: “Diss me, and you die.” Calls to respect this or that are increasingly part of public life: environmentalists exhort us to respect nature, foes of abortion and capital punishment insist on respect for human life, members of racial and ethnic minorities and those discriminated against because of their gender, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs, or economic status demand respect both as social and moral equals and for their cultural differences. And it is widely acknowledged that public debates about such demands should take place under terms of mutual respect. We may learn both that our lives together go better when we respect the things that deserve to be respected and that we should respect some things independently of considerations of how our lives would go.

Thanks United..and as I've stated on previous posts...I love your hair.

Answer 1

This can be summarized in the old saying, 'Live and let live' can't it?

We have to be a little calmer, a little wiser, and not become an endless series of 'reactions' to other peoples' insanities.

When offended, we have to make the conscious step to not react, but to calmly demand respect, as we extend respect to our attackers (however undeserving they might be).

We can choose to break the chain of 'domino effect' reactions and negative 'ripples' in the human pond.

We can initiate a positive and kind 'drop of respect' which will ripple out in endless reverberations of love, not hate.

It sounds Polly Ann-ish and naive to be optimistic, but what choice do we have -- anger and cynicism causes heart attacks.

Answer 2

Thanks Matteo...I've always believed that respect is earned, not freely given, especially in interpersonal relationships. I don't understand why some people can't "live and let live." I respect others whose viewpoint or lifestyle is different than my own; it's not my place to judge that person.

Communication and education is the key. If people would respond (or even ask questions) in a respectful, intelligent, well-thought out manner, then there can be useful dialogue and healthy debate. Someone may even learn something that they did not know before.

I believe that OUR behavior will set the standard. If we are respectful then I hope others will follow our example.

Answer 3

Yes, I am a very hopeful guy, myself. I always think that this can be solved somehow. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is not to throw back hate at hate. Try to respond respectfully, even when respect is not given. I know that I am as guilty of throwing back hate as anyone, and it is something that I have to work on as well.

And also, thanks for the posting on respect. Quite often, people forget about those things!

Answer 4

I respect that pic of your chest.

Answer 5

BRAVO, Well said. We can only hope

Answer 6

Do as you would be done by.