Health Magazine
"I Don't Get No Respect!" That is the Danger Said Rodney
Posted on the 10 February 2013 by Fadi Bejjani @DrFadiBejjaniOrigin of RESPECT: Middle English (14th century) from Latin respectus,from verb respicere (re-specere) to look back, to look more at, to regard (from Anglo-French regarder) as in “take a second look at”. Whatever Happened to “Respect Your Elders?" by Frank Kaiser : ”My wife and I recently returned from Greece where the highest term of respect, normally reserved for monastery abbots, is geronda— old man [same origin for gerontologyand geriatrics]. In fact, throughout the history of the world, old age has most often been equated with wisdom, honor, integrity and esteem. Until now. Today we live in a bubble of youth and celebrity worship, where "you can't be too young or too thin." [or too ornery, see below] Old is out. Like so much garbage to be disposed of, seniors are exiled to the edges of society where they won't be seen, smelled or heard from…”
This reminds me of a scene at the Hôpital Saint-Michel in Paris in 1978. We had operated on an older Vietnamese woman who fractured her hip and placed an Austin Moore prosthesis. On the third day post-op, we were happy to finally get her up standing and taking a few steps. The family walked in at this point and turned livid with outrage. The son rushed and carried the little lady off the floor taking her to bed. It turned out that what we considered a medical success (walking after a prosthesis) was a huge insult to them since elders are always carried and pampered in their culture and not forced to stand on their own two feet. Go figure! In general, Asians, both Near and Far East, have a much keener sense of respect for their elders than westerners.
Some related words (as per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary)love, deference, reverence, devotion.
The following quotes come to mind: If You Don't Love Me.. Fear Me. by (MATTIKINS52) or "It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both." (Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), The Prince)
Near Antonyms (as per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) summarize the problems with respect today:
condemnation(of Acts of Terror), hate (crimes), scorn (of women); disappointment(in government), discontent(of children), disgruntlement(of employees, unions), unhappiness(of spouses); contempt(of court)
With regard to contempt of court, following in the footsteps of her sisters and role models Lindsay Lohanand Paris Hilton (DUI and cocaine), last week an 18-year-old from Florida Penelope Soto. She laughed when the judge asked if she had consumed any drugs in the last 24 hours and then said “adios” after he set her bail at $5,000. Upset he raised the bail to $10,000. “Are you serious?” Soto asked. The judge replied, “I am serious. Adios.” At that point, Soto gave the judge the finger and shouted “fuck you”! Since this is America, she will build a fan club, write a book, become a folk hero à la Sandra Fluke, run for office à la Ashley Judd, and that will monetarily beat any education or employment she may have gotten.
The Treaty of Utrecht (between Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Savoy and the Dutch Republic) ended the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in 1713. Following is an excerpt:
Reflect about every Aspect, then Direct(ly) Select Prospects you should Respect; Connect herewith, Protectand Elect. Reject and Suspect those Abjects who can Infect Subjects and Affect you. Do not Defect like an Insect or Deflect but Erect Perfect Object for Effect.