What Respect Means to Me - The Answer in This Free Essay

The term Respect is more than just a word. Many people understand the term respect in many different ways. Some people think that behaving in a manner that is reserved and constrained and speaking in a low tone is a sign of respect. Other people think that expressing ones opinion about a subject is a sign of the lack of respect and hence the young should withhold their opinions while in the company of older people.

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For some people, it is mandatory that the young respect the old and not a necessity that the same reciprocate. I am a believer that respect is two-lane traffic. You respect me I respect you. If one does not respect other people, then other people will not respect them either. I also am of the opinion that respect is earned and not given. What this means is that respect comes regardless of age provided one does something that is worth emulating.

I would define respect as the way that we endeavor to treat other people the way that we would like to be treated if we were to take their places. For instance when we can call people names that we would not mind being called and it would be okay. Respect means to treat other people equally and with justice. I have ever come into contact with an incident of disrespect, and this was the one incident that helped me to understand what it means to respect other people.

It was during one of the lessons in class, and I had not performed well on that subject. The teacher was revising the paper, and he asked a question that I knew well. Although I knew the answer to the question, the teacher refused to pick on me to do the explanation even after the rest of the class had failed to get the answer right. When the rest of the class began to notice that the teacher would not pick on me to answer the question they began to protest and this was when the teacher gave in to the pressure by the class. I felt intimidated.

The experience I had in class made me feel that it is important that people respect the contribution of other people regardless of that they think of them. I also learnt that respect is two ways; the big need to respect the young just in the same manner that the young need to respect the old. Ever since that experience that I had with the teacher, my impression about the teacher was destroyed. I developed a negative attitude against the teacher and the subject as well.

I have hence come to appreciate respect as the number one fundamental component that is significant in the life of any relationship be it a family relationship, workplace relationship or a love affair. When respect leaks it causes a crack in the relationship that cannot all be restored. I think respect is more than speaking smoothly and having all the right words to say when one needs to get what they want from other people. I am of the opinion that respect can best be accurately be defined by the things that people do in your absence. Respect has a pivotal role to play in the industry.