Shouts From Down Under

Dear Thinkers (Douchebags) Respectfully or dis.Your Writer.

Credit and respect must be given to Kanish ~ we got this! for this provocative, and soul searching topic.

Respect. What do we mean, and how do we feel, when we respect someone? Ditto when we don't respect someone, or have lost respect for them?
What is the difference between the two ways of thinking?

www.dictionary.com

respect
noun
1. a particular, detail, or point (usually preceded by in): to differ in some respect.

2. relation or reference: inquiries with respect to a route.

and the third meaning; Kanish ~ we got this! 's reference:

3. esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.

4. deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect's right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.

5. the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.

Disrespect.
noun
1. lack of respect; discourtesy; rudeness.

verb (used with object)
2. to regard or treat without respect; regard or treat with contempt or rudeness.

Synonyms
1. contempt, disregard, irreverence.

I don't pretend to be able to explain clearly what it means to respect someone, or how we feel exactly when we respect someone, or disrespect them.

It's like trying to explain time / eternity.



All I know is, these feelings come, are real, and many decisions in our lives, whether right or wrong, judgemental or not, justified or not, pivot on this not easily explained emotion.

There are levels of respect. We can respect an attribute or skill etc that a person may show, or have, or use, yet not respect the person themselves for whatever reason.

What I like about this topic; it's deeper than it first appears and we can rush into explaining the feeling, thinking we know for sure, but with an honest self appraisal, we can realise it's not so easy to nail down.

I think to even be pondering on this subject of feelings of respect, and what it really is; behind this is a person who is a deep thinker.

And that plants some seeds of respect in my mind for the person.

There is respect for others, and self respect. We demand it from the younger, or not so clever, or people who aren't as good as us.

We vote for politicians we feel respect for, or vote for politicians that we disrespect less than the others.

We know what it is to lose this feeling for someone and be disappointed in the change that brought about the loss.

We know many things, feelings, responses, active judgements.

But do we really know what respect is, and understand the feelings behind it?

Honestly, I don't think we do.


Sparky