Poll: Respect for others

[joshuaayt]

The first one- I don't just automatically respect people, that would be hilariously disappointing on a daily basis.

Still, I don't have an especially high respect threshold- if you are an OK person, and remain an OK person even as I get to know you, then I probably respect you.

 

[Slash Dementia]

I've always done the give respect until proven unworthy, so 2. Proving yourself unworthy of it can be lost pretty quick for me, but it doesn't mean I hate the person, just don't respect him or her. It can be gained back, too, though.

 

[demoman_chaos]

1.

People are stupid and selfish until they prove otherwise. Having worked in a US catalog call center for about 3 years now I can say without hesitation generally speaking, Americans are stupid. Callers can't seem to comprehend basic math (recent example, a caller couldn't figure out her shipping, 2 7.95 items and one 22.95 one, 8+8+23-.15, seemed simple enough but even when I broke it down she didn't get it). They also have trouble reading (saying items say they are should be sale price when the sale ended 2 months ago), and never listen.

So thanks to my job my formerly positive view on the public had rapidly declined.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

It depends. I refuse to respect intolerable people, and there are so many more of those than decent people.

I will choose both 1 and 2.

 

[zehydra]

2. Everyone is to be respected, regardless of history. There's a difference between liking and respecting someone.

 

[Alexias_Sandar]

Treat people with respect until they prove otherwise. This doesn't require actually respecting them...which honestly, is something earned. But, that doesn't mean you need to treat people poorly just because they haven't yet earned your respect.

 

[zehydra]

1.

People are stupid and selfish until they prove otherwise. Having worked in a US catalog call center for about 3 years now I can say without hesitation generally speaking, Americans are stupid. Callers can't seem to comprehend basic math (recent example, a caller couldn't figure out her shipping, 2 7.95 items and one 22.95 one, 8+8+23-.15, seemed simple enough but even when I broke it down she didn't get it). They also have trouble reading (saying items say they are should be sale price when the sale ended 2 months ago), and never listen.

So thanks to my job my formerly positive view on the public had rapidly declined.

Nah, it's just the Americans that call your phone.

 

[Saelune]

Individual respect is to be gained. But not respecting someone is not having no repsect for them. I cant stand expected respect. Be it for family, usually parents "You do NOT talk back to ME", and abusive authority figures.
I honestly thing that you cant "talk back" to a cop (which is too vague) is a bad thing. Mostly because any sort of argument counts.
I know atleast one cop who is unrespectable as family AND as a cop. (My bigot uncle)

 

[Dr. wonderful]

2.

I rather give the benefit of the doubt until proven unworthy.

Respect is hard to gain, easy to lose.

 

[Chasing-The-Light]

I have respect for the weirdest people, in life. Of course I respect my idols for everything they do, much like the rest of us, and I respect the people above me in life, as well. But I also respect the homeless people on the street, and the Christian person just trying to hand out bibles or pamphlets on the street corners (Not to be confused with bible thumpers...) just trying to help others with something that helped themselves.

I would have to say 1, though. I think you should prove that you're worthy of being seen with a high esteem, rather than just being given it from nothing.

 

[klasbo]

Lack of respect =/= Disrespect

So 1) Benign indifference until either respect or disrespect is gained. Respect comes in varying degrees, and my default position on other people is just "comrade".

 

[Xaio30]

I believe 1 and 2 does not necessarily exclude each other. So I believe in both.

If I had to chose one, I'd say 1.

 

[OmniscientOstrich]

I would sort of side with 2 if you replace the feeling of respect with indifference. I wouldn't use the word respect so lightly as to dole it out to casual acquiantences but a lack of respect doesn't mean I hold anything against them, I'm just of a nuetral disposition until they do something that puts them in a more favourable light in my eyes. So I guess I'm siding with 1.

 

[Sarah Frazier]

I can't really decide between 1 or 2.

I tend to be too trusting of people who seem to have good intentions, even respecting them despite other people saying otherwise. In fact, I'd likely lose respect for the people badmouthing other people if they're too blunt about it until I start seeing first-hand proof that the person is indeed less worthy of respect than they put on.

On the other hand, if somebody or even a group of somebodies obviously cares more about their personal agenda and acts selfishly, I will be slower to respect them. Even if they were to somehow include me in that agenda, it would be too late and I'd take every kind word and gesture with a great deal of salt.

 

[Gaiseric]

1 or 2 depending on who I'm dealing with.

 

[GameMaNiAC]

2 for me. I respect everyone and everything. Unless I see that they don't deserve it.

 

[Shackels]

Two.
I show basic respect to everyone until they prove to be respectable or an asshole, the trustworthy get more respect and the scum get none, and have very little chance of getting it back. Because I'm narcissistic and I think my respect matters.

 

[gostchiken]

I'll treat someone with respect, but that doesn't mean I respect them.

 

[Grospoliner]

I try to grant no one any preferential bias over another. In that sense, I do not grant anyone respect as I feel the entire concept of respecting someone is poorly defined and inherently flawed. If someone I felt was an exemplar of traits I deemed valuable revealed that they also did things I feel worthy of condemnation, where would that leave my respect? Do I forgive them for the heinous acts they commit out of the notion that they also do good things? Or do I condemn them regardless? There are obvious benefits and detriments to both so the question becomes, to which do I defer, the greater good or the self?

In the end I attempt to maintain a level of neutral civility rather than let personal bias cloud my judgment.