Respect;

To feel or show esteem or honor for someone or something. To an average person, respect is a daily routine. It is not just a task they have to fulfill, respect is what a person owes and gives to contribute to living a courteous life. However, respect is an expectation that is scrutinized by hypocrisy as many live in ignorance demanding respect from others yet belittle the people they want respect from. With this, what is the true meaning of respect? 

Growing up in an Asian household, it was always a necessity to treat any adult or any person above you with the highest level of respect, and to NEVER question why. Not only is respect is ingrained in our culture but, respect is embedded in our language through the use of honorifics. For example, in Vietnamese, you would call someone “chi or anh” if they are seen as an older brother, sister, or friend. However not to an uncle, grandparent, or teacher as it would be deemed informal. Certain adults would have a different honorific because of their specific age and relevancy. This makes age and respect so closely bound to each other as it is a large staple of being Asian. If one acted without respect it becomes shameful and embarrassing, no matter the degree. Even when talking to a cousin a few years older than you, respect creates a boundary on what you can or cannot say. This mindset made me believe that anyone older than me had to be treated differently due to the sole purpose of age. Yet this hypocrisy is shown as older generations degrade their youth in their manner whilst expecting respect. Adults use this superiority in ways of disregarding a person’s opinions and facts because their age makes them invalid. These ideas presents the irony of how the world idealizes respect. If to get the respect you have to give respect many people would never possess respect at all. This meaning that respect is more of an expectation and not something that must be earned. This is because people love the idea of respect but don’t like to carry out how should be used. In regards to everything discussed age has become a type of superiority in which younger people are obligated to show respect. But, if we are taught in schools that respect is a two-way street, how can I respect someone that does not respect me in return? And although culture cannot be changed, we as a society should strive to redefine the ideal of respect to be more of a team effort rather than a solo match.