Respect

For other uses, see Respect (disambiguation).

A sign commanding silence and respect at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia. (Author: David Bjorgen)

Respect is a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected (e.g., "I have great respect for her judgment"). It can also be conduct in accord with a specific ethic of respect. Rude conduct is usually considered to indicate a lack of respect, disrespect, where as actions that honor somebody or something indicate respect. Specific ethics of respect are of fundamental importance to various cultures. Respect for tradition and legitimate authority is identified by Jonathan Haidt, a professor at the University of New York Sten School of Business, as one of five fundamental moral values shared to a greater or lesser degree by different societies and individuals. Respect is both given and received. We expect other people to respect us in return for the respect we show them. Respect is also something that is earned by the standards of the particular society in which one lives. Respect cannot be measured as a quantity, cannot be bought or traded, it is one of those things that is earned and built over time, but that can be lost with one stupid or inconsiderate act. One can ask or beg for respect, but only others can bestow us with respect as a result of their perceived treatment by us. Continued caring interactions are then required to maintain or increase that original earned respect. Respect cannot always be seen or observed by actions', but for those who practice chivalry, the outward display of respect is refreshing. Some women view this as patronizing and demeaning, but in its pure form chivalry is about nearly absolute respect.

Respect should not be confused with tolerance, since tolerance doesn't necessarily imply subordination to one's qualities but means treating as equal.

The antonym and opposite of respect is disrespect.

Respect To Others In Society

Others in society, people that have important roles on a way that a person lives on a day-to-day basis, earn the respect of others by assisting us. For example, teachers or coworkers or the people we encounter everyday certainly deserve a measure of respect. Simple words and phrases like, "Thank you," and simple mechanisms, like a smile or a pat on the back, show a level of respect that over time will form, within a culture, a cohesive bond.

The image of a female in East Asia creates a barrier for her in the workplace. In the book, East Asian Sexualities, Stevi Jackson, Liu Jieyu, and Woo Juhyun state, “Women had to make a double effort to maintain their aesthetic self-image. When presenting themselves in the work environment, they had gone through careful management of gender display.” (Jackson, Jieyu, Juhyun, 89) This wall makes it difficult in the work place as respect, in that environment, is based on the reality of skill and personality, not on an assumption of proper behavior. Chinese women are placed in a situation in the workplace that creates a great compromise. They are expected to exhibit a more open sexuality than what is normally accepted in the social environment, but at the same time are being very sexually harassed. Some women decide to abstain from the social environment to keep their respect.

Signs of respect

Language

Respect is shown in many different languages by following certain grammatical conventions, especially in referring to individuals.

An honorific is a word or expression (often a pronoun) that conveys respect when used in addressing or referring to a person or animal.

Typically honorifics are used for second and third persons; use for first person is less common. Some languages have anti-honorific first person forms (like "your most humble servant" or "this unworthy person") whose effect is to enhance the relative honor accorded a second or third person.

For instance, it is disrespectful to not use polite language and honorifics when speaking in Japanese with someone having a higher social status. The Japanese honorific "san" can be used when speaking English.

In China it is rude to call someone by their first name unless you have known them for a long period of time. In work-related situations people address each other by their title; in social situations "Mr.," Mrs.," and "Miss" are used. At home people often refer to each other by nicknames or terms of kinship.

Chinese often address their friends as juniors and seniors even if they are just a few months younger or older. When a Chinese person asks someone their age they often do this so they know how to address the person.

A style is a legal, official, or recognized sign of respect.

Physical gestures

In some areas of India it is customary that, out of respect, when a person's foot accidentally touches a book or any written material (which are considered to be a manifestation of the goddess of knowledge Saraswati) or another person's leg, it will be followed by an apology in the form of a single hand gesture (Pranāma) with the right hand, where the offending person first touches the object with the finger tips and then the forehead and/or chest. This also counts for money, which is considered to be a manifestation of the goddess of wealth Lakshmi.

In many African/West Indian descent communities and some non-African//West Indian descent communities respect can be signified by the touching of fists.

Many gestures or physical acts that are common in the West can be considered disrespectful in Japan. For instance, one should not point directly at someone. When greeting someone or thanking them, it may be insulting if the person of lower status does not bow lower than the person with higher status. The duration and level of the bow depends on many factors such as age and status. Some signs of physical respect apply to women only. If a woman does not wear cosmetics or a brassiere, it is possible that she will be considered unprofessional or others may think she does not care about the situation.

Unlike the Japanese, the Chinese do not necessarily bow to one another as a greeting or parting gesture. Bowing is generally reserved as a sign of respect for elders and ancestors. When the Chinese bow, they place the fist of the right hand in the palm of their left at stomach level. The deeper the bow, the more respect they are showing. The Chinese do not participate in much physical contact, especially when doing business because this can be seen as too casual, thus disrespectful. It is considered rude to slap, pat, or put one's arm around the shoulders of another.

For other uses, see Respect (disambiguation).

File:Yamen-Sitzung.JPG

Kow-towing (叩頭).

The Chinese typically do not use hand gestures very much and regard a lot of hand movement as excessive. Winking and whistling are also considered rude. Pointing or using one’s finger to beckon someone is seen as disrespectful because these gestures are also used for dogs.

The Chinese sometimes do not smile or exchange greetings with strangers. Smiling or being friendly to someone you do not know well can be considered rude and too familiar. It is also common to see Chinese women covering their mouths when they laugh. Traditionally, a woman who laughed too loudly was considered to be uncouth and ill bred.

Traditionally, the Chinese did not shake hands but this gesture is now widely practiced among men, especially when greeting Westerners or other foreigners. Many Westerners may find Chinese handshakes to be too long or too weak, but this is because a weaker handshake is a gesture of humility and respect.

Kowtowing, or kneeling and bowing so deeply that one’s forehead is touching the floor, is practiced during worship at temples. Kowtowing is a powerful gesture reserved mainly for honoring the dead or offering deep respect at a temple.

Many codes of behavior revolve around young people showing respect to older people. Like in many cultures, younger Chinese people are expected to defer to older people, let them speak first, sit down after them and not contradict them. Sometimes when an older person enters a room, everyone stands. People are often introduced from oldest to youngest. Often time, younger people will go out their way to open doors for their elders and not cross their legs in front of them. The older you are the more respect you are expected to be treated with.

References

Bloch, D. (1993) Positive self-talk for children, Teaching self-esteem through affirmations, A guide for parents, teachers, and counselors. New York: Bantam Books

Braman, O. R. (1997) The oppositional child. Indiana: Kidsrights

Jackson, Stevi, Jieyu Liu, and Juhyun Woo. East Asian Sexualities:Modernity, Gender and New Sexual Cultures. London: Zed, 2008. Print.

Brown, Asa D. (2012) Respect. Retrieved February 16, 2012, from http://www.ccpa-accp.ca/blog/?p=1810

Bueno, L. (2012) Teaching children about respect. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from http://www.education.com/magazine/article/teaching-children-respect/

Eriwn, E., Soodak, L. (2012) Respecting differences: Everyday ways to teach children about respect. Retrieved February 14, 2012, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/inclusivecommunities/differences.html

External links

• Essay on Respect
• "Respect" entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Respect Research Group: Multidisciplinary research project on interpersonal respect, with additional quotes, gallery, literature
• Respect Scoreboard
• On Respect and Religion