Recently, I had a discussion on LinkedIn about respect and whether it not is should be earned or given. In light of the elections coming up and the individual candidates, I've found it appalling that people abuse the "I have a right to share my opinion" so negatively. Not only on social media, but also face to face we mock and tear down with thoughtless words towards people we don't like. I feel that that is showing disrespect. The criteria for respect shouldn't be based on whether you agree with what's been said, but rather because they are a human being.
I deserve respect just as much as a doctor, our president or your neighbor. Personally, I feel that when someone is in a position of authority or has gone to school studying a subject I don't know much about, I should respect them because of their knowledge. They don't have to earn respect for me to give it. I may not agree with everything that President Obama has done. I may not like some of my professors in college. I may not understand why my parents forced me to stay at a school they knew I hated. However, because they are in a place of authority, they should have respect. If you can't find it in your heart to respect the person, at the very least, respect the position. We 20 somethings don't understand the stress of what being a country leader brings. We don't understand what it takes to be in charge of a college campus. We have no idea what it's like to raise a teenager much less counsel someone our own age. There's a lot we don't know.
Trust on the other hand should be earned. If I handed out trust like I handed out respect, my soul and spirit would have been beaten severely; more so that it has already been. If I totaled my dad's car, I don't expect him to just hand me the keys to his new one. If a friend kissed my boyfriend, I'm not going to suggest we go bowling together. However, I would respect them as a person, meaning I'm going to do my best to treat them like a human being. I won't draw up caricatures and put them in the newspaper. If we trusted everyone with a bight smile, we would be in big trouble because there are shady individuals out there who have no regard for your feelings.
Trust is precious and should be taken seriously. In terms of friendships, because of the people that have betrayed me, I am very cautious to whom I give my trust. I have criteria that must be passed before I share anything close to my heart. I purposely make it difficult to be my friend, let alone my best friend. You want to be careful with this because if you trust the wrong people, you're not the only one getting hurt. Those around you may too.
In closing, respect seems to have been a lost act/emotion. Constantly, I'm seeing social media posts that criticize presidential candidates for everything under the sun. People rant and rave, poke fun of and basically borderline bully not only those who help run our country, but those who hold onto principles that many deem stupid or old-fashioned. People scream for acceptance/equal rights, yet many still try to make those whose ideas are different or not "widely accepted" feel uncomfortable or threatened. If you really want "open mindedness" maybe we all should be towards EVERY opinion and point of view out there including the ones that are based on belief.
If we can respect the pouch (Capri Sun), we can respect each other no matter what office we hold or what belief system we are a part of.
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