Respect

Today’s lecture, boys and girls, is on respect. Specifically, just a couple aspects of showing that respect for someone you know, and supposedly enjoy the company of.

This rant has primarily been prompted by recent events, but it’s been an ever-present issue of mine. If you have some issue with me, or really with anyone you know…SAY SOMETHING. Seriously, am I the only one who finds it disrespectful and downright cowardly to hear these types of things second- and third-hand? How little must you think of someone to not bring these things to them? To have some problem, but not be willing to tell it to the one person most central to it.

Or is it simple cowardice? I know I can be intense, maybe even frightening, and for most humans to confront me is probably something akin to a lamb trying to stare down a wolf. But when you have been asked to be forthright, to be honest and plain, to do otherwise seems to show no regard for my wishes, no respect for my wants. It shows that you don’t think enough of me to actually listen to what I want, and/or you don’t have enough courage to actually risk saying something negative.

Now, one more point. Repeat after me, boys and girls: Double standards are BAD. Hypocrisy is BAD. Getting angry at someone else for doing the exact same thing you did, in a like situation, is ignorant and selfish. Expecting someone else to hold to standards that you, yourself, do not is likewise ignorant and selfish. Granted, selfishness seems to be a great trait of the human species…but maybe you could at least be a little bit subtle about it, hmm?