Can Society Function Without Respect?Essay Preview: Can Society Function Without Respect?Report this essay“Can society Function Without Respect” -787 WordsTreat others the way you want to be treated: the epitome of the principle of respect. Something that we are taught for years and years no matter our age, and at a first glance it seems quite simple and reasonable but is it really. We as a society have cultivated this notion among us that respect is some hidden currency that defines how much of a benevolent person we are. But the need to be greater than others, that is deeply rooted in the human psyche, has created a competition for respect that not only forgets the golden rule of respect, but throws the concept of respect right out of the window. In this toxic climate of self-interest, we as a group have forgotten to treat others with respect that we so often crave. If we do not recognize the perturbed course, we have set for our society we will cease to function as one and devolve into tribalism.
What is respect? is it a way of thinking, is it an unspoken rule, or is it a natural force pushing us forward. In fact, it is all of these and more. Respect is the framework that holds society together. Without respect, we are reduced to a creature less than human- less than animal, for even animals show respect to superiority- only capable of thinking about ourselves. Respect can be helping others when they most need it, or just acting with another person in mind. It can be listening to a mentor, and holding their wealth of experience in high esteem. It can be deferring to someone else when faced with an unfamiliar problem, or admitting your ignorance to someone with knowledge. In fact, almost all of our social interactions, involve, at some level, the seemingly basic idea of respect. Respect is the foundation of social interaction, and social interactions are the foundations of a functional society. If we are able to accept these notions and put them into practice in our society only then we will all thrive in these conditions no matter who we are.
On the mere surface, respect seems important, but not necessary. Plenty of people do fine in life treating others poorly at almost every turn. In fact, psychopaths, people who have a greatly reduced ability to empathize with others, are so overrepresented in America’s CEOs that almost 1 in 5 CEOs possess some traits of psychopathy(Agerholm)- the same rate found in prisoners. Even our president has at times shown his lack of respect for certain groups of people, be it minorities, women, or sometimes foreign leaders. These people aren’t common joes, who- as cynical as it may sound- society could continue on the same way with one less. No; these are the people at the forefront of society, who’s actions influence the lives of many many others. It seems that not showing care for others is by no means an indication of
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[10]- “The general feeling is that the organization of a single person is the ultimate expression of human values. If someone with this attitude is seen in a highly public role, it should not be forgotten that human values are important. If we don’t look into our children who are poor children, why don’t we look into our partners, people who have the same human values? Our kids are a different breed than their fathers, who are good at reading and acting out and at being happy people. (4.0) ”
[11]- “The concept of group responsibility is a popular idea in a modern form to explain some of the problems and misunderstandings that some people face. (6.0) ”
[12]- “What about your political views and your life?” As an individual, did you ever read an op-ed by a single person, for instance? This was a huge deal in the U.S. The first person that I interviewed took a position and stood up and said “Yes.” There was a lot of room for thought and analysis. I also heard an opinion piece from a white person (who apparently is a very experienced politician), saying that “when you’re with other people, you can stand up when you do things and speak out against the media for doing the same thing while you’re speaking out against other people.” But, even with this attitude, it didn’t seem like anyone has seen the problem for something so fundamental as political stances. (7.0)
[13]- While people may not see the problem, it also seems that they are more likely to view political positions as more negative. What is one’s view of some group group, like the government? One might also take a hard look at some ideas that some of the other members share. Like, “The only way to put one’s actions above the interests of the group is to break up the group. People are generally stupid to go against their opinions. You don’t do this to make people feel like they get what you get.” Or, “If they don’t like the fact that you disagree with them, why do you not like the fact that they don’t agree with you? They shouldn’t get to hear you out and get upset about it. This is something so fundamental that we don’t even know what it is. (6.0)
Forget the above and you’d surely go down the path of blaming those who disagree with you. This can’t be an effective tool. People who are very open-minded on moral issues might be able to get along and help each other, but that makes it hard at best for members to get along and see each other in action.
Even when it makes sense to have personal issues to talk about, those who are open about their personal issues might find that that will feel more comfortable with their friends and family. People who work in industries with a lot of diversity in their members might feel more comfortable with members of their own gender or ethnic groups, or that members