R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

It think it’s particularly interesting to consider how social norms and expectations have been instilled in us over the years, and how this affects us later in life.

 One, naturally among many, that I find the most puzzling is that of respecting our elders. Maybe I’m just too punk rock to feel like I should simply respect my elders, but I think there’s more to it. I would say that I was raised to believe that respect goes hand in hand with trust, and that I should learn and grow to respect someone, rather than blindly do so. Of course, I wasn’t raised to be a little ankle-bitter that ran around ruining people’s lives, but respect isn’t something you’re going to get from me just because you have Ph.D. or you receive a social security check and you’re wearing orthopedic shoes. I’ll be polite to nearly anyone, because I’m not a heartless monster, but I really think respect is something that’s earned and can be lost. I also expect that I must prove to be people that I deserve their respect and trust. 

But this is only the way I was raised, and I would be willing to bet that there are those who were raised to always respect their elders or superiors, disregarding circumstance. Of course, I can’t help but write from my point of view and cast those who do so in a slightly negative light because I really think it’s ridiculous to put trust and respect in someone based on how many wrinkles they have. Old people can be wrong. Old people can be mean. Old people might seriously think the 50s really were a better time.

Now, this of course is a fairly harmless, but true, example of how I was instilled with a certain view. I can only imagine that the same kind of conditioning can be seen in other instilled values. Instilled racism or bigotry would likely feel the same to someone with those values. Whether we like it or not, we’re instilled with certain beliefs and core values. Our sense of basic right and wrong is taught to us. We learn we’re not supposed to throw blocks at our little brother because someone tells us not to. We learn expected gender roles and what things we should “naturally” want in life from our parents and friends. We also learn who to hate and who to distrust. 

It’s an interesting take to consider just how much we’ve been conditioned to respond to things in a certain way.