Thoughts About Disrespect
In entry 377, I mentioned that when there is disrespect, the best way to handle it is mutual avoidance.
But disrespect should be looked at a bit more closely.
There is disrespect due to a specific, defined reason and there is diffuse disrespect.
In the case of a specific reason, the disrespectee knows, why he is disrespected, no matter, if he agrees with it or not.
Some criminals have the insight to have earned to be disrespected.
When an atheist disrespects a religious person due to stupidity, the religious person knows why but disagrees.
When disrespect is diffuse, there are several constellations.
In entry 377, I mentioned that when there is disrespect, the best way to handle it is mutual avoidance.
But disrespect should be looked at a bit more closely.
There is disrespect due to a specific, defined reason and there is diffuse disrespect.
In the case of a specific reason, the disrespectee knows, why he is disrespected, no matter, if he agrees with it or not.
Some criminals have the insight to have earned to be disrespected.
When an atheist disrespects a religious person due to stupidity, the religious person knows why but disagrees.
When disrespect is diffuse, there are several constellations.
- The disrespectee perceives to be treated with disrespect, but without any acceptable reason.
Example: A narcissist disrespects a person and attempts to press that person into the role of a narcissistic extension. - The disrespectee does not perceive the hidden disrespect.
Examples: A manipulator uses a gullible person for his purposes. A man promises a woman a long term relationship by pretending commitment, but only wants to use her.
Both cases are reasons for the disrespectees to avoid the disrespector, because they have no chance to ever be respected.
But there is a different situation, when the disrespectee perceives non-existent disrespect.
But there is a different situation, when the disrespectee perceives non-existent disrespect.
- There is misunderstanding, misinterpretations, misperception.
- The person feeling disrespected has personal problems.
- The person perceived as disrespectful is not aware of how his behavior is received by others.
In these cases, people have a chance to overcome the difficulties by communicating, until they reach an agreement of reestablished mutual respect.
If couples are at all concerned about the importance of respect and not just driven by instincts, they get involved by reciprocally respecting and feeling respected. They have the impression of sharing all the values and attitudes, that are the fundament of disrespect and therefore for a committed relationship.
Disrespect is the result of either getting aware, that the respect had never been justified but had been an error all along, or of losing respect due to experiencing behavior indicating it as an error.
If couples are at all concerned about the importance of respect and not just driven by instincts, they get involved by reciprocally respecting and feeling respected. They have the impression of sharing all the values and attitudes, that are the fundament of disrespect and therefore for a committed relationship.
Disrespect is the result of either getting aware, that the respect had never been justified but had been an error all along, or of losing respect due to experiencing behavior indicating it as an error.
An example is the pseudo-non-believer described in entry 305. When I got in contact with him on an atheist dating site, I wrongly interpreted this as him being an atheist worthy to be respected. When I discovered on his website his praise of the bible as a book of wisdom, and when he admitted to be a cultist of tai-chi and to chant to a Japaneses scroll, I rapidly lost respect. He did not pretend to be an atheist, he was convinced to really be one in spite of all his irrational religious behaviors.
