Respect.

[Guest guest]

Respect is one of those unfortunate words

people die and kill for. In personal relations

it denotes high regard, esteem, and deference.

it's is a key word in image building, and social

hierarchy. Mafia types, big shots, religious

and political leaders demand respect. Authority

of any kind requires respect. It's a sister word of

honor and pride. Those ego inflating words has

caused countless suffering.

 

Instead of respect, I like to offer my fellow humans

my undivided attention. With undivided attention

what they truly need becomes evident, and it is seldom

the self- image enhancer called respect.

 

Respect seekers, despite their best intentions. often

do awful things. The story of the British poet Siegfried

Sasson comes to mind.

 

A middle class poet half Jewish homosexual lad he

had been educated in the best schools and volunteered

to serve as an officer in World War I. He was a distinguished

decorated officer whose borderline suicidal bravery was

unquestioned before the horrible carnage, the stupidity

of the generals, and the sheer idiocy of the ideals over

which the war was fought made him publish an anti-

war poem, and write a letter of resignation on moral

grounds to the Ministry of War.

 

Instead of being shot and made a martyr, as

he hoped, he was sent to a mental hospital. After a

few months of very " interesting " conversations with

the leading British psychiatrist of this period. He was

declared cured and given these options:

 

A- to be discharged for medical reasons.

 

B: to return to duty with a desk job at home.

 

C: To be kept at the hospital as a patient for the

duration of the war.

 

Remarkably, he demanded to be send back to the

front. The army, readily accepted. And of course, despite

all his reckless attempts to become a casualty, he

survived the war and died at the age of 81. He

admitted in his memories that returning to the front

was an act of cowardice prompted by his need for respect.

Becoming a rebel antiwar martyr was acceptable, being

thought a coward for refusing to fight, or a lunatic was not.

[Guest guest]

althought respect can be a branch of undivided

attention, no?

I am going to ask my kid to pay me undivided attention

and get back to you..

Patricia

--- Pete S <pedsie4 a écrit :

 

 

 

Respect is one of those unfortunate words

people die and kill for. In personal relations

it denotes high regard, esteem, and deference.

it's is a key word in image building, and social

hierarchy. Mafia types, big shots, religious

and political leaders demand respect. Authority

of any kind requires respect. It's a sister word of

honor and pride. Those ego inflating words has

caused countless suffering.

 

Instead of respect, I like to offer my fellow humans

my undivided attention. With undivided attention

what they truly need becomes evident, and it is seldom

the self- image enhancer called respect.

 

Respect seekers, despite their best intentions. often

do awful things. The story of the British poet

Siegfried

Sasson comes to mind.

 

A middle class poet half Jewish homosexual lad he

had been educated in the best schools and volunteered

to serve as an officer in World War I. He was a

distinguished

decorated officer whose borderline suicidal bravery

was

unquestioned before the horrible carnage, the

stupidity

of the generals, and the sheer idiocy of the ideals

over

which the war was fought made him publish an anti-

war poem, and write a letter of resignation on moral

grounds to the Ministry of War.

 

Instead of being shot and made a martyr, as

he hoped, he was sent to a mental hospital. After a

few months of very " interesting " conversations with

the leading British psychiatrist of this period. He

was

declared cured and given these options:

 

A- to be discharged for medical reasons.

 

B: to return to duty with a desk job at home.

 

C: To be kept at the hospital as a patient for the

duration of the war.

 

Remarkably, he demanded to be send back to the

front. The army, readily accepted. And of course,

despite

all his reckless attempts to become a casualty, he

survived the war and died at the age of 81. He

admitted in his memories that returning to the front

was an act of cowardice prompted by his need for

respect.

Becoming a rebel antiwar martyr was acceptable, being

thought a coward for refusing to fight, or a lunatic

was not.

 

 

 

 

**

 

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