Do you automatically respect your elders or do you think respect has to be earned?

Answer 1

I respect everyone out of my own integrity, until the person (of any age) shows they are worthy or unworthy. That way I give everyone an equal chance of being respected.

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 2

You automatically respect your elders because they have seen a lot more than you have. Their judgment is based on a lot more experience than you have.

Imagine that you are a brand new private in the army. You have just arrived in theater. Do you think that you know more than the veterans? Are you smarter than they are? Maybe you have a college education, and they only have high school. They have been in combat. They know what works, and what doesn't. You had better respect their opinions.

It is the same in civilian life. Obviously, there are some old fools, but generally, old people have wisdom which is learned from experience, something that a young person doesn't have.

A young person can earn the respect of an old person. He or she does this by listening to the older person when he gives advice, and by trying to act like an adult. Not following the latest fads. That will impress an older person.

Answer 3

Do you want people to respect you? If so, then you have to show respect as well. I do resepct my elders, I was raised that way. Having said that, if someone is just plain rude and nasty to you then depending how much of your elder they are the respect may go away. I mean, if someone is only about 10 years older than you and is a total witch and impossible to get along with then they don't deserve your respect and should have to earn it back. But, if someone is old enough to be a grandparent then it should be accepted. You don't have to like them, just respect them for what they have lived, witnessed and been through.

Answer 4

Well, I automatically respect their position in society - kind of like I respect the office of the presidency, but I don't always respect the president. It is a fine line.

However, just because a person is older than someone else does not mean that they deserve the highest level of respect - they must earn that through their attitude and their actions.

Answer 5

Most cultures in the world automatically respect their elders' a lot of folk in the Western word don't..
As you are only asking about respecting elders, my answer has to be yes in my case, I do respect the lot of them the whole range miserable old far*s , doddery old gi*s the lot of them, I enjoy hearing their tales of the 'good 'old days, I know for a fact most of these tales are complete BS, but I really do respect them.
How could an old doddery g*t 'earn ' respect!
Give it freely!
As for the younger generation I take as I find, some younger folk may actually respect a complete yob who may be the leader of a gang, different story altogether isnt it?

Answer 6

Automatic as a child, but as the child gets older it has to be earned. My dads always going on about respect when he does nothing around the house and is just a lazy man in general.

Answer 7

I automatically respect my elders- that is how I was raised.
Children nowadays would be far more polite and treat each other with more respect if they had some idea of a pecking order instead of being raised to believe it is all about me.

Answer 8

you automatically respect your elders. They have lived enough in life to earn respect.

Answer 9

I automatically respect everyone unless and until the person does something to lose my respect. I am older, so my "elders" may be different than yours. Elderly people I try to give extra courtesy to as they may be having trouble walking, moving along quickly, etc.

Answer 10

Respect has to be earned, I am 47 year old and do not expect some one to respect me just because of my age. Why do others demand respect just because they are older than someone it does not denote anything apart from they have lived longer which in the case of morons like this Kelly, Tory Liar, George Bush does not indicate they should be respected.

Answer 11

I used to work in a retirement home and although some of the people that lived there could be nasty, I respected them, because I did not know what was always behind the nastiness. Sometimes it could be because they lost a spouse, child or other loved one, or a lot of times Alzheimer's can cause a person to act mean and/or nasty. It is best to treat everyone you meet with respect no matter how they act.