Respect
Respect is something everyone wants, not many have, and few want to give. Most people would appreciate “just a little bit,” and most should give just that. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, this does not happen. Maybe it’s because the concept of respect is not understood. The dictionary defines it as an act of giving particular attention or high or special regard. This does not explain what it is; it only outlines what it may be. In general, though, respect can be broken down into three main forms.
The first is the respect of others. Others, includes your peers, teachers, parents and everyone else. It is adding a ma’am or sir to the end of a sentence. It is obeying in class and not being rowdy in the hallway. It is the respects of their ideas and what they stand for. It is what brings people together, and if not used, it is what can tear people apart.
The second form of respect is the respect of property. This includes anything from writing on a desk at school to stealing from a department store. Property, whether it is the schools, a company’s, a stranger’s, or friends, should always be respected. Respect means taking that extra few seconds to drive the speed limit so as not to hit anyone or anything. It means not smashing a pumpkin at Halloween just for fun. It means not throwing that piece of trash on the ground. That is respect.
Lastly, one must respect his or herself. This respect is holding your head high and respecting your own opinions. It’s acknowledging that you have ideas and then sharing them because you are not afraid of what others may think. It is not letting peer pressure and other things affect the way you think or want to think. Respect for yourself is the most important of all because without it, you would have no respect for others.
The many problems we face today as a society seem to become more and more overwhelming. Respect for one another is a big social issue we face today in our...