[quote name='ZERO PHOENIX']So basically you're faking it. You do realize that pretending to respect someone isn't equal to actually respecting them?[/QUOTE]
Nope, Im not faking my respect. The fact remains that they are further ahead in life then I am. They earn more, they know more, they have experienced more, etc. That gives them my respect. At least, I will respect those achievements, even though I might loath the person and think nothing of some of his other aspects.
Unlike most people, I constantly monitor every facet of my behavior and interactions with others to make sure I do not run afoul of anyone. I make it my daily mission to do right by all who know me and I succeed. If there is an issue to be found it is almost always on behalf of others. If you want to challlenge the ground I walk on you should think better of it but because I'm in the mood, I will elaborate further still.
You think youre the only one who monitors his behavior? You think most other people just do whatever comes up in their heads and go with it, no matter how that makes them look in the eyes of certain other people? Thats just...I dunno. Let me assure you that only a few people do not actually monitor their behavior. You sound like you think youre mr perfect who never wrongs anyone. How do you know that? Does everyone who lays eyes on you thank you for being such a perfect human being and that your mere presence makes them happy? No? Then you dont know shit about if you do right by anyone.
There is a very keen difference between what one does and what others do, if you have not discerned this already. For example, I might give my boss the proper respect that is due to him as his employee, but at the end of the day he's still corrupt, he still takes advantage of his staff, and he still rapes the community of resources better spent on people who can actually benefit from it. You have a natural right to think as you choose to but regardless of any approach you might take it doesn't change the fact that in a situation like this, my conduct is flawless while the conduct of my employer is deplorable and thus, he is not worthy of respect.
Id still respect that employer, for the simple reason that he found a way to make more money then the rest, getting the resources he wants, and taking advantage of his employees who, despite being taken advantage of, still do what he says. I respect that he has power where others have non. I therefor respect him, even though I might think hes otherwise an asshole.
I had to deal with a Journalism professor in my early academic career who felt that we his students, didn't deserve his time after class. Any topic, any issue, he was right and we were wrong simply because he was older. We covered a story in which the NAVY was using marine animals to run military tests and PETA had a big issue with that. We explained these issues and explored them in great detail yet many of us were penalized for putting PETA in the story. The professor claimed that PETA never knew anything about the project, and that no one was there to talk about it. In reality PETA and the NAVY were going at it and there were many from PETA who took issue with what the NAVY was doing so in summation, PETA was there. However, the professor said that we were all lying and tried to nail us for academic dishonesty. Thus, my friend, regardless of my (our) conduct the man was making a complete ass of himself.
So what? A professor is still a guy with a degree, and that is something that I as a student, am still lacking. Therefor, he has achieved more in life then I have, thus he got my respect. On top of that, he is probably older, thus he also experienced more then I have, which also entitles him to some of my respect. And on top of that, hes also the guy who is gonna decide if you fail or pass his course, which means he has more power then me, and that also entitles him to my respect. The level of respect he has for me is completely irrelevant.
Besides, its not a professors job to respect his students. What have they done to earn his respect anyways? Sit still and listen? Do what they are told? Write a paper? Still, I doubt that he had any student whos academic achievements surpasses his own at that point. No, students havent done anything for which he should respect.
So it is thus that contrary to what others have convinced you to believe, the level of respect you give to someone else rarely equates to the level of respect the person gives to you in kind. No matter what you do, a person will only give you the level of respect they want to give you, not what you deserve. Your conduct will have little to do with is. As a Machiavellian Man, I conduct myself in a manner befitting that status. Not because I expect respect from others but because it is simply the way I am. I'm also fully aware, thanks to experience rather than opinion that even in giving others respect (typically more than they deserve) that such gratitude is rarely reciprocated. For future reference, know something of the character of the man you seek to descredit lest you do more to compromise your own standing.
Who said anything about that I believe that people give me as much respect as I give them? I know that I probably get less respect from most older people, and rightfully so in most cases. Im young, and I have yet to prove myself worthy of any respect.
Anyways, my argument is not about the way you behave. My argument was about what you achieved. The fact that you act all nice towards your boss says nothing about what you achieved at work. Your achievements determine my respect for you and that was what I meant to say when I said that maybe you have done nothing to deserve peoples respect. I said that maybe you havent achieved anything worth peoples respect. And thats why elder people do deserve my respect, because regardless of their behavior towards me, they achieved more in life then me.