My personal take is that respect is assumed from the start but can be lost. I treat everyone with respect when I meet them and from there I see their behavior and go from there.
People tend to use the word ‘respect’ in two different ways:
Respecting someone = treating them like a human being
Respecting someone = deferring to them and treating them like an authority over yourself
It’s common to hear, for example, an abusive person saying “If you won’t respect me, then I won’t respect you,” where they mean: if you won’t obey me, then I won’t treat you with basic human decency and dignity.
I think respect of type #1 is a given for all human beings, or it should be, anyway. Respect of type #2 is something that should be earned, if it’s an option at all (because, outside of professional relationships and consensual D/s dynamics, it’s usually unhealthy for one partner to be the assumed authority over the other).
Respect for being human? Yes. I will respect your rights to exist and your right to your opinion, agreed or not. Your right to do as you please with your life and body.
Respect you when you’re being an asshat because you’re old, a minority or have a tough background? No. That kind of respect is earned from me by being a decent person.
Respect and love like most anything are given by choice whether earned or not. Plenty of undeserving people are getting one or both. And plenty of deserving people are not getting one or both.
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respect is inherent, but can be revoked for so many reasons
Mostly earned. I mean, I’ll be nice to someone from the get go, but they won’t have my respect without showing they deserve it.
English is a vague language! It very much depends on what you mean by respect.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Basic human rights and courtesy are a given.
However, I respect specific individuals based on their behaviour and conduct. They earn my respect.
Context is important
All humans and animals deserve respect. However, if a human is mistreating others, they’re getting words from me.
Definetly earned. Also, a lot of people confuse respect with politeness. Just because I’m polite to someone, doesn’t mean I respect them.
My personal take is that respect is assumed from the start but can be lost. I treat everyone with respect when I meet them and from there I see their behavior and go from there.
People tend to use the word ‘respect’ in two different ways:
It’s common to hear, for example, an abusive person saying “If you won’t respect me, then I won’t respect you,” where they mean: if you won’t obey me, then I won’t treat you with basic human decency and dignity.
I think respect of type #1 is a given for all human beings, or it should be, anyway. Respect of type #2 is something that should be earned, if it’s an option at all (because, outside of professional relationships and consensual D/s dynamics, it’s usually unhealthy for one partner to be the assumed authority over the other).
Depends.
Respect for being human? Yes. I will respect your rights to exist and your right to your opinion, agreed or not. Your right to do as you please with your life and body.
Respect you when you’re being an asshat because you’re old, a minority or have a tough background? No. That kind of respect is earned from me by being a decent person.
Baseline respect—like treating people with decency—is a given. But deeper respect, the kind tied to trust or admiration? That’s definitely earned.
In my book everybody starts off with the same amount of respect, and the worse you do, the more respect gets reduced.
It should always be offered as a given. It can be revoked for cause.
Anyone who thinks they don’t need to respect other people until they have earned it sounds like a very unpleasant person to be around.
Respect and love like most anything are given by choice whether earned or not. Plenty of undeserving people are getting one or both. And plenty of deserving people are not getting one or both.