Every time you interact with someone you should give them a base level of respect. How they respond determines the amount of respect you continue to proceed with.
Slightly disagree.
Every time you interact with someone you should give them a base level of respect.
No. This is true for the first meeting with someone. After that the level of respect is based on their previous behaviour.
Regularly act like a shithead, zero respect required.
Respect is earned. If you don’t treat other people, animals, public property etc with respect, you deserve none in return.
But that’s my point. If they’re disrespectful then you lower the amount of respect you give them.
So if a stranger disrespects me, I should disrespect them more?
Sounds like a mutual self destructive relationship if you ask me. Someone either has to be the better person, or just walk away.
Walking away is just as disrespectful as dropping to their level. It sends the same message just with less effort.
Eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, but if you can’t avoid a fight, ftw. Not words, talk is cheap, but in my corner of the world guns are ubiquitous too. There’s a difference between doormat/whipping person and hostile but at the end of the day, survival instinct is strong.
Right but often the self-respecting thing to do is not stoop to their level and make a mess.
Your title contains two opposing statements. Giving respect is earning respect.
Respect has to be EARNED Sweet, just like money. 💵
Respect, Loyalty and Love are all things that can’t be earned, can’t be bought, can’t be expected, can’t be demanded.
You can only give them.
That’s what I tell my students, “I will have exactly as much respect for you as you have for me.”
