Respect - A Gift

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH – THE SOURCE OF MERCY – THE MOST MERCIFUL

A FEELING OF APPRECIATIVE, 

POLITE EXPRESSIONS OF CONSIDERATION.

WILLINGNESS TO SHOW CONSIDERATION OR APPRECIATION. 

THE STATE OF BEING REGARDED WITH HONOUR OR ESTEEM. 

RESPECT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IN EVERYDAY LIFE. AS CHILDREN WE ARE TAUGHT (ONE HOPES) TO RESPECT OUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND ELDERS, SCHOOL RULES AND TRAFFIC LAWS, FAMILY AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS, OTHER PEOPLE'S FEELINGS AND RIGHTS, THE TRUTH AND PEOPLE'S DIFFERING OPINIONS. AND WE COME TO VALUE RESPECT FOR SUCH THINGS; WHEN WE'RE OLDER, WE MAY SHAKE OUR HEADS (OR FISTS) AT PEOPLE WHO SEEM NOT TO HAVE LEARNED TO RESPECT THEM. WE DEVELOP GREAT RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WE CONSIDER EXEMPLARY AND LOSE RESPECT FOR THOSE WE DISCOVER TO BE CLAY-FOOTED; AND SO WE MAY TRY TO RESPECT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE TRULY WORTHY OF OUR RESPECT. WE MAY ALSO COME TO BELIEVE THAT, AT SOME LEVEL, ALL PEOPLE ARE WORTHY OF RESPECT. 

WE MAY LEARN THAT JOBS AND RELATIONSHIPS BECOME UNBEARABLE IF WE RECEIVE NO RESPECT IN THEM; IN CERTAIN SOCIAL MILIEUS WE MAY LEARN THE PRICE OF DISRESPECT IF WE VIOLATE THE STREET LAW: “MESS WITH ME AND YOU DIE.” CALLS TO RESPECT THIS OR THAT ARE INCREASINGLY PART OF PUBLIC LIFE: ENVIRONMENTALISTS EXHORT US TO RESPECT NATURE, FOES OF ABORTION AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT INSIST ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE, MEMBERS OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THOSE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER, AGE, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, OR ECONOMIC STATUS, DEMAND RESPECT BOTH AS SOCIAL AND MORAL EQUALS AND FOR THEIR CULTURAL DIFFERENCES. AND IT IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PUBLIC DEBATES ABOUT SUCH DEMANDS SHOULD TAKE PLACE UNDER TERMS OF MUTUAL RESPECT. WE MAY LEARN BOTH THAT OUR LIVES TOGETHER GO BETTER WHEN WE RESPECT THE THINGS THAT DESERVE TO BE RESPECTED AND THAT WE SHOULD RESPECT SOME THINGS INDEPENDENTLY OF CONSIDERATIONS OF HOW OUR LIVES WOULD GO.

WE MAY ALSO LEARN THAT HOW OUR LIVES GO DEPENDS EVERY BIT AS MUCH ON WHETHER WE RESPECT OURSELVES. THE VALUE OF SELF-RESPECT MAY BE SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE FOR GRANTED, OR WE MAY DISCOVER HOW VERY IMPORTANT IT IS WHEN OUR SELF-RESPECT IS THREATENED, OR WE LOSE IT AND HAVE TO WORK TO REGAIN IT, OR WE HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN IT IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. SOME PEOPLE FIND THAT FINALLY BEING ABLE TO RESPECT THEMSELVES IS WHAT MATTERS MOST ABOUT GETTING OFF WELFARE, KICKING A DISGUSTING HABIT, OR DEFENDING SOMETHING THEY VALUE; OTHERS, SADLY, DISCOVER THAT LIFE IS NO LONGER WORTH LIVING IF SELF-RESPECT IS IRRETRIEVABLY LOST. IT IS PART OF EVERYDAY WISDOM THAT RESPECT AND SELF-RESPECT ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED, THAT IT IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE BOTH TO RESPECT OTHERS IF WE DON'T RESPECT OURSELVES AND TO RESPECT OURSELVES IF OTHERS DON'T RESPECT US. IT IS INCREASINGLY PART OF POLITICAL WISDOM BOTH THAT UNJUST SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS CAN DEVASTATINGLY DAMAGE SELF-RESPECT AND THAT ROBUST AND RESILIENT SELF-RESPECT CAN BE A POTENT FORCE IN STRUGGLES AGAINST INJUSTICE.

DESPITE THE WIDESPREAD ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECT AND SELF-RESPECT IN MORAL AND POLITICAL LIFE AND THEORY, THERE IS NO SETTLED AGREEMENT IN EITHER EVERYDAY THINKING OR PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSION ABOUT SUCH ISSUES AS HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS, WHAT THE APPROPRIATE OBJECTS OF RESPECT ARE, WHAT IS INVOLVED IN RESPECTING VARIOUS OBJECTS, WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE FOR SELF-RESPECT, AND WHAT THE SCOPE IS OF ANY MORAL REQUIREMENTS REGARDING RESPECT AND SELF-RESPECT. THIS ENTRY WILL SURVEY THESE AND RELATED ISSUES.