Respect
I am amazed by the number of people who don’t understand this word at all. Sometimes I am horrified by how many terrible people there are in the world. And then I realise that the most awful things ever said or done are so because of lack of respect. Some people don’t understand respect; they only understand fear. It is the way they’ve been taught to live, to be, to treat, to gain and give power. Here’s my attempt to define it again….
Kindness without respect is pity.
Generosity without respect is charity.
Teaching without respect is showing off.
Protecting without respect is an ego trip.
Chivalry without respect is just a stereotype.
Appreciating beauty without respect is just plain leching.
Compliments minus respect are flattery.
Responsibility without respect is a burden.
Love without respect is neediness.
‘Space’ without respect is indifference.
Caring without respect is not caring at all.
I want nothing that’s given without respect. And if I ever give you something without respect, please throw it right back on my face. Respect is a two-way street after all. And a way of life.
It permeates every aspect of life, every human interaction, every feeling, every conversation, every relationship. I see it as recognition. Of another life form. I see it as empathy and understanding and acceptance and appreciation. I see the power that can be snatched and lost. Then I see power that radiates from within and its source is always…RESPECT.
This is something I’ve wanted to say for a long, long time. And I haven’t. Because I didn’t respect myself enough to voice such a basic thought. And I didn’t respect you enough to have the patience or intelligence to listen.
Thank you.
Jennifer on 
Anu on 
Lemony on 
Prolific Dyslexic on 
1medha
wrote on 4 September 2006 at 17:02
Loved this post!
“Love without respect is neediness”.
It indeed is!
2ideasmith
wrote on 4 September 2006 at 17:49
By the way, is this Medha Sengupta? And if so, are you unable to sign the comment with your blogger URL? I’ll need to check my template then.
3ideasmith
wrote on 4 September 2006 at 17:50
By the way, is this Medha Sengupta? I ask because you haven’t left your URL behind and I’d like to know if there’s a bug in my template that doesn’t allow non-Wordpress users to sign in.
4sundar
wrote on 4 September 2006 at 23:58
respect..an underlying thread essential for connectedness in interfaces…nice post…
5Ideasmith
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 4:05
Medha, Sundar:) Glad you liked it!
Is this Medha Sengupta? I ask because you haven’t left a URL and I wonder if its because Wordpress isn’t allowing you to sign in with a Blogger id.
6medha
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 5:19
haha..yes babes, its Medha Sengupta.
7medha
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 5:21
And i just dint fill in the website option.
8SwB
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 5:32
so true … beautifully said IS!
9Ideasmith
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 5:56
Medha: Ah, cool….was just wondering…am still trying out iron out the kinks in the new blog.
SwB: Thengyu saar!
10Khush
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 7:39
simply awesome and a prolific take on RESPECT.
11Me
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 8:05
Sex without respect is a fuck
12Ideasmith
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 8:19
I wonder who the ‘me’ is who had such a worthy thought but didn’t feel like leaving behind a name or a link. I wish he/she had.
13Me
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 9:19
Sometimes there’s a thrill in anonymity.
14Ideasmith
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 9:23
Arrrrggghhh…..too much of that going around these days, ‘Me’!!
15tbk
wrote on 5 September 2006 at 18:12
so do you think need + respect = love??
power without respect is abuse
16Maya
wrote on 6 September 2006 at 10:31
Btw, Me = Maya
17ideasmith
wrote on 7 September 2006 at 4:16
tbk: I like the power equation but I don’t think the love equation is that simple. This isn’t arithmetic after all.
Maya: I loved the thought. I wish I’d thought of it first and included it in the post. Thank you for dropping by!
18Seema
wrote on 20 September 2006 at 13:13
Hey!!
Liked your new workshop.
And I ound this as the best post here.
19IdeaSmith
wrote on 20 September 2006 at 13:46
@Seema: Thank you, ma’am