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Respect

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
To me. I try to accept and respect any human for being a human. As for accepting and respecting their behavior: I accept that any human can do as they like. But from there doesn't follow that I will do, what they like.

So in context of your OP: I respect them, but I don't necessarily do as they would like.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?
It is respect for qualities and capabilities which, in part or in whole, characterize the person.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
As a free will believer, I believe free will implies infinite potentialities. To do good things.
So I respect the other as I respect myself because my free will is identical to theirs.

So I respect them a priori. As human beings.
But of course I can agree or disagree with them. But I still respect them as persons capable of decisions. As I am.:)
 
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Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.
To respect every human being no matter religious view, sexual gender, nationality. Or political view
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.

I don't believe "earning respect." I read that one way to annoy an enemy is to treat her with kindness. Once one has gotten through hurt and anger, I think their heart would lift if they came to acceptence of the event. If it's something like a rape, once can respect as a person without needing to redirect their behavior. Another thing I read about affective communication is to address the behavior or idea not the person. Who does that?

I don't use the term often. If someone disrespects me my body goes in find safety mode. I have to come back afterwards when I'm at rest.

Anyway. It should be mutural. You don't have to respect her behavior to respect her as s person.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.

The problem is respect has a couple of contradictory meaning, and me being who i am dislike words with more than one meaning.

Respect to me is admiration for a particular skill, it is not admiration that the person can walk upright and demands respect for it.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
As @Jayhawker Soule said, I respect qualities and capabilities.
I initially assume of every human to have these qualities and capabilities, more or less. Experience can raise or lower my respect.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.

"Respect" is another of those pesky words which have multiple definitions.

Respect | Definition of Respect by Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com)

respect
noun
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re·spect | \ ri-ˈspekt \
Definition of respect
(Entry 1 of 2)

1: a relation or reference to a particular thing or situationremarks having respect to an earlier plan
2: an act of giving particular attention : CONSIDERATION
3a: high or special regard : ESTEEM
b: the quality or state of being esteemed
crespects plural : expressions of high or special regard or deferencepaid our respects
4: PARTICULAR, DETAILa good plan in some respects
in respect of
chiefly British : with respect to : CONCERNING
in respect to
: with respect to : CONCERNING
with respect to
: with reference to : in relation to
respect

verb
re·spect | \ ri-ˈspekt \
respected; respecting; respects
Definition of respect (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a: to consider worthy of high regard : ESTEEM
b: to refrain from interfering withplease respect their privacy
2: to have reference to : CONCERN

So, it can mean "to hold in high regard," which would tend to be an earned status, although it can be more basic, as in respecting someone else's rights or acting with common courtesy.

That said, I do find it suspect when people say things like "respect has to be earned," as it makes me think of those who say "force is the only language these people understand."
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
The problem is respect has a couple of contradictory meaning, and me being who i am dislike words with more than one meaning.

Respect to me is admiration for a particular skill, it is not admiration that the person can walk upright and demands respect for it.

The word meaning has more than one meaning. :)
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
"Respect" is another of those pesky words which have multiple definitions.

Respect | Definition of Respect by Merriam-Webster (merriam-webster.com)



So, it can mean "to hold in high regard," which would tend to be an earned status, although it can be more basic, as in respecting someone else's rights or acting with common courtesy.

That said, I do find it suspect when people say things like "respect has to be earned," as it makes me think of those who say "force is the only language these people understand."

Giving time freely to others is rarely a forced act. Much respect there.

Storming the Capitol. No respect
 

Evangelicalhumanist

"Truth" isn't a thing...
Premium Member
In the interest of not derailing another thread with determining what is meant by the word "respect," I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.

In that thread, a member stated they did not have respect for every human, as respect is something to be earned, and went on to list a few that they had never or will never respect.

When you speak of respect for another, are you speaking of respect for their behaviors and actions, or are you speaking of respect for the person and/or their being? Is there a difference from your perspective?

Discuss.
There are basically two definitions for the word "respect," and I use them both, depending on the situation.

The most important of them, in my opinion, means "due regard for the feelings, traditions, rights and wishes of others." I give everyone that respect. We are all entitled to those things, and it would be wrong of me to deny, even within my own mind, others that entitlement.

The lesser meaning of the word "respect" is admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. And that's the one that is earned.
 
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Heyo

Veteran Member
There are basically two definitions for the word "respect," and I use them both, depending on the situation.

The most important of them, in my opinion, means "due regard for the feelings, traditions, rights and wishes of others." I give everyone that respect. We are all entitled to those things, and it would be wrong of me to deny, even within my own mind, others that entitlement.
When I respect the rights of a person, it has nothing to do with the person, it's all about the right. This respect can't be raised or lowered by the persons actions.
The less meaning of the word "respect" is admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. And that's the one that is earned.
Yep. And it comes with the perk that I'm more willing to listen to or accept without evidence what they are saying.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Over the past few years, I've lost all but a bare, rock bottom measure of respect for anyone -- right or left -- who I become sufficiently convinced knowingly spreads disinformation. I doubt it much matters to them though, and I don't expect it to. If you already care so little about people you would knowingly add to their troubles by misguiding them, you aren't likely to worry too much about anyone's lack of respect for you.

I know why it's happening. I've become increasingly aware of the damage disinformation is doing to not just America, but the world. And not just to one group, but to most of us.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
To me, it's just another way of talking about common courtesy that extended to all persons - human or otherwise - as a matter of course as part of my code of honor. As the Unitarian Universalists put it the first of their seven principles, I firmly believe in the "inherent dignity and worth of every person." My path of Paganism takes it a bit further than that to declare all things as sacred regardless of how I personally feel about them. All things are treated with honor - that is, respect - unless exceptional circumstances warrant otherwise. Those exceptions mainly revolve around protecting oneself from abuse and not empowering abusers, which is a matter of necessity.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
Respect is often confused with civility.
The former is earned.
The latter is the default...ideally, anyway.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
I am creating this thread to determine what "respect" means to the members here.
I hadn't thought a lot about it. Sometimes I pay respect though I don't feel respect. I respect the life of a spider by not killing absolutely every spider I see, but I want them all dead. I want them all dead, but I realize they are important. Therefore I let some spiders live.

I pay respect out of inertia sometimes. If I don't know what else to do its sometimes the easiest path. Usually its not a conscious choice. Usually my respect comes from the way that I see other people behave. It can also come from awe. Perhaps its someone I'm impressed by or a stranger or a teacher.

Sometimes I pay respect to make someone else feel better. Sometimes I pay respect to maintain peace.

Its a conscious choice when I don't have to pay respect or show respect and am not in awe, or when I've very, very livid.
 
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