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Grace Fleming

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I would like to hear people's perspectives about an inherent lack of respect in our culture, and how we can teach transcendence of such?

One could argue hate, war, and crime which have gone on for centuries are manifestations of man's same "dark" side, but are we merely using disrespect as weakened versions of our other sides, and is there a way to transcend it? Perhaps try to bring back a non gender specific form of chivalry, as an example? What has happened to human interaction as a result of so much of us relying on social media, and will this be a contributing factor to the demise of our sense of connection that leads to further devolution of our societal mores, or just plain manners?

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    Fritzie Reisner 100+

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    May 31 2012: I believe that respect and seeking the good in the people one encounters can be modeled and taught at home, just as other values are taught and modeled at home. The same can be reenforced in the institutions in which children spend time, like schools, community centers, and religious organizations. I don't know how successfully one can reverse such a mindset in the adult once it is established, but some adults do find mentors, gurus, and so forth as adults in situations in which they seem to change their beliefs and values.

    While seeking identity is innate, a part of human development (particularly in adolescence) that involves distinguishing oneself from some or all others, doing this by defining those others as enemies or inferior of values is not, I think, innate. It is only common. Representing some other as a caricature of negatives can seem a cheaper way of feeling adequate or superior than working on improving oneself.
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      mary rondoni

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      Jun 3 2012: Fritzie, If you don't mind my saying, I think we do have an innate draw to people like ourselves ie race, religion etc.
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        Fritzie Reisner 100+

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        Jun 3 2012: I don't know how this works in general, but I think those of us who grew up in and went to school in diverse settings may not feel such a special draw to people of our own race and religion. One might as likely be drawn to people who share activities one enjoys. I look at my youngest child and his cohort. Kids' friends might be the others who compete in math or play in the band or are on the same sports team more than the religion to which they were born or their physical appearance.
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          mary rondoni

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          Jun 3 2012: Well, I tend to think physical appearance has a significant role in some ways, depending on well the situation, and the age of the people. Religion not necessarily.

        • Barry Palmer 50+

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          Jun 7 2012: I recall a story about a child who was asked which of her friends were black, and she could not remember. Times are changing.

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