I've always been puzzled by the idea that young people should automatically "respect their elders". To my mind respect is earned, regardless of your age. What do you think? How do people earn your respect and how do they lose it? Discuss.
I totally agree with you. People earn my respect when they treat me in a manner that I'd treat everyone else
People earn respect through their actions and words. If they show intelligence and logic and be able to infer respect themselves. People lose it by being disrespectful or being ignorant.
Get that a lot from my parents, I don't agree with them, I'm being "disrespectful" for making logical counter-arguments. They also seem to think they know more about everything because they are older. And they also think they have the right to be rude too.
My policy: I won't behave rudely to anyone unless they've shown to be deserving of it. I don't equate politeness with respect though. Respect is earned, and it can be earned by someone of any age. And lost, too.
I agree that respect should be earned, but at the same time, for me at least, it's easier to respect people by default until they do something to lose my respect. "Respect your elders" should really be more about people respecting authority and people who have more life experience rather than "don't ever disagree with someone older than you because they know more than you". Some of the stupidest things I've ever read have been from people much older than me. They certainly don't have my respect.
I don't respect anyone on the basis of age - I respect people if I think they deserve it. A lot of elderly people (60s+) I know have life experience, but are very ignorant and prejudiced - a symptom of a bygone era.
I agree with the whole you earn my respect thing, but I tend to be a bit more deferential to older people. They have lived longer than I have and they have more life experience to back them up and to go by. That doesn't mean I won't disagree with them but if they have experience in something that I don't then I'm more willing to listen to them and respect them for that
"respect"?! Why? It clouds the judgement, thinking that you have to "act" in a specific way just because of "standards" or even because someone managed to impress you? More like, not being disrespectful, since that takes effort that should not be squandered on random people. Respect is something far too valuable, to be "given" to just about anyone, it should be conserved only for those special people in our lives.
My rules go as follows: if you're my grandparents age or older theres an ingrained respect that follows but it can be recinded by any dick move on the part of the elder. My parents age and younger needs to be earned . Theres also a cultiral element that wasnt included here . In the cultires of both my parents heritage there are other elements to the whole respect deal as well ( eg, in my dads church ,or wherever the priest might show up ,its customary for everyone to kiss his hand . Thank F its not my church and he isnt allowed at our house). In my moms family my bisabuela , tiasabuelas and abuela do this whole : bendicion thing . You dont get to just blow that stuff off. Its inherent.
"Respect your elders" really means "defer to their wisdom because they've been there." Of course if they're dicks, they don't deserve as much respect as a kind person and no amount of age will help that. But with age usually comes some knowledge.
Exactly! Respect is a two-way street in my opinion, so if you don't give it to me I don't give it back.
i was raised on that idea of "respecting your elders" and i did, up until i realized that respect is earned, not given. i don't really care how old, young, experienced, inexperienced, wise, by the end of the day, if you're not giving me the same respect i'm giving you, i'm not going to bother at all. i've spent a bit of time kissing up to people asses and i got sick of it. that's just my take on it.
I was another that was taught to 'respect your elders' and I still have a hard time now that I am older and an adult myself now to realize that respect is earned regardless of someone's age and experiences. I find myself still calling my aunties and uncles 'Aunty or Uncle' and then their name as I don't want the fall out of what they might think if I said just their name. I am learning more and more though and I do feel that I respect everyone now unless given a reason not to.
