What ever happened to RESPECT

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MSilvia:
It's a tangent from the original post, but for what it's worth both "my friends and me" and "my friends and I" can be correct, depending upon the situation.

Matt,
The original error was "me and my friend". This in incorrect in any context.
 
My grandfather (a far wiser and more intelligent person that I) used to tell me that there are three kinds of respect in this world; I literally had the fear of God put into me over this very topic, for I was but a child of 10 or 12 when this was told to me and it took me another five years to realize what he was trying to teach me. This is what he told me:

1. The respect that is due every person because they are a person. This is irregardless of the color of their skin, the God (or Gods) they choose to worship or not to worship, their ethnic background, their job, their position or the place the call home. You speak to them in a language they understand, not up to them or down to them. You say please and thank you when appropriate and apologize when you have wronged them. Never say anything behind someone's back that you would not say to their face- it always hurts more coming from a third party.

This goes for EVERYONE- I don't care who.....you don't get to pick and chose who is deserving of the right to be treated as a person. Yes the crimes (and atrocities) carried out by (and on the order of) such madmen as Hitler, Stalin, Hussein and Bin Laden are gross violations of every basic tenet of social conduct, but by treating them with disrespect as though they were a piece of garbage, you are lowering yourself to their level by doing any less than treating them as you would want to be treated. This may bother some, but it should not be taken to mean that these persons do not deserved to be punished (personally I'd like to be left alone in a room with Bin Laden for about an hour so I can make him answer for the 343 brothers of mine from New York that he took away from us), just that until such time as that is done they must be treated as people- no matter how lowly and unsavory they may be.

2. The respect that is due based on position or rank; this is the type of respect that I extend to our commander-in-chief, even though I don't like him, think he is leading the country poorly and that he has been responsible for the needless deaths in a war that started over the blemish on his father's reputation, I still respect the position he holds because he is our leader. Personally I think (based on what I have seen) he's a nice guy, just a poor choice for a leader (he's not the sharpest tool in the shed and has surrounded himself with some of the most self-righteous people in Washington) and not particularly trustworthy (although no professional politician is really trustworthy). But that does not mean that I have the right to disrespect him, in the sense that if he told me to do something (unless it was seriously illegal, immoral or really, really stupid) I would comply. This is respect that is due him based on his position....it is not blind obedience or even the act of refraining from attempting to oust him from office.

3. The respect that is due someone because they are a good person. I give this level of respect to few people, and only when they earn it. This is "true" respect and is difficult to earn. It requires integrity which is something else that is sorely lacking nowadays, not just in the US, but everywhere. These are the people I can count on doing what is right. I can count on both hands the number of people I have this level of respect for.

As for finding fault for failing marriages and other social problems...well I can give you make take on that if you like (it's quite funny and fairly entertaining), but it will have to wait for another time and place.

-Steve
 
MSilvia:
That said, I believe it's possible to respect an office without respecting the person who holds it.

Learned that one real quick in the military.

In general society there is an ever increasing number of people who have no respect for other people at all. Its as if the entire universe revolved around them alone. I see this kind of behavior everyday at work. Very sad commentary on our society.
 
medic_diver45:
My grandfather used to tell me that there are three kinds of respect in this world

Your grandfather sounds like a wise man indeed. I like the way he put that.

Viscya: I know, and thought I indicated that in my mostly irrelevant post. Let's not draw it out any further.
 
jbd:
In general society there is an ever increasing number of people who have no respect for other people at all. Very sad commentary on our society.

Can you really consider someone like that a member of society? It almost sounds like they're more surrounded by society than a part of it.
 
MSilvia:
Can you really consider someone like that a member of society? It almost sounds like they're more surrounded by society than a part of it.

Then you have to ask the question: What defines one as a "member of society"? Who gets to draw the line on that one? Surely those who don't respect others shouldn't be considered members.....and those who lack basic hygeine.....and so on and so on (I used these as examples)
It is a slippery slope that we tread now, we must watch our step and try not to spill any oil. If you exclude even one person from society as a whole, then what is to stop someone else from excluding you, or I, or the person down the street simply because they don't like the way we lead our lives. Also it begs the question, how do you define society? With things being as globally open as they are now, the only true way to exclude someone from society would be to kill them or lock them away in solitary confinement. Just some food for thought.....
 
By the way, if you haven't guessed, I like to debate philosophy...LOL
 
This is to the Fathers, and Mothers amoung us..., and this goes beyond biology. Geometry has taken all of us much further than that.

Remember when we were taught about the population boom? This was back in the 60's. Damn those were good times. Well back then, families raised other family's children. God forbid if I were stupid enought to sneak around the corner to try and smoke...A CIGARETTE!!!....I would be spanked and ridiculed home. The neighbor would then tell my father. :11: Yep, nuther whuppin. And the truth rocked!

Another great thing about those times were there was very little MEDIA. :eyebrow: ) Word got around by mouth...shake of hand...look in eye...trust. Heck I knew you! :wink:

Those were the times of neighbors...we actually knew one another names, and reputations...Saw you coming.

Well the population boomed. Mothers are'nt really mothers as we knew them anymore. And fathers damn sure aint Dads...BRING IT ON!

Our kids are raised by electronic talking heads....that rarely tell the truth, and knowledge...well, I believe my IT friends would say that it has been corrupted.

There are so many of us now that we cant possibly know each us. We dont even know our neighbors anymore.

So the bottom line is our children are being raised by strangers who lie to them every day. Dont think they dont know this. Thier reaction is you bunch of lieing *******s, you can all go to hell. Which really is to be expected. Whats is happening before your very eyes is a breakdown of society.

But there is hope. Sit back, relax, and open your soul to what IS. Let it rock you, it will make you cry, but then...eureka.

Now you can live! :smilie_ho

I think the modern term is "look up and live."

Peace and Blessings
 
This thread certainly falls outside SB's rules about political posts IMHO (as one who has been censored for the same in the past). However, it has remained respectful of the beliefs of others.

From a political perspective, I agree with many of the follow-up posts re: our current administration. From a personal perspective (that of a "left-wing radical" politically), I too decry the lack of respect shown in today's society compared to what it was like when I grew up in the 50's.

Only one rule is necessary... the Golden Rule (and I do not consider myself religious at all, but good rules are good rules).

Doc
 
BIGSAGE136:
Our kids are raised by electronic talking heads....that rarely tell the truth, and knowledge...well, I believe my IT friends would say that it has been corrupted.

How many kids are being raised by TV, now that is a scary thought........
 

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