“I don’t get no respect,” comedian Rodney Dangerfield used to say.
“We’ve lost that, at least for the most part. From the highest levels of government to the crassest platforms on social media, we are witnessing the death of respect, courtesy, and basic honesty.”
Most of us would likely agree with this assessment. The insults delivered in public by so many of our politicians and commentators, the online acrimony that so often erupts on social media, the small discourtesies of everyday life—all are signs of a widespread, ugly abuse that has become the norm.
When we read Rev. Rolheiser’s question and his follow-up statement, we might note his repetitions of “courtesy” and “respect,” both of which serve as synonyms for another of his words, “politeness.” All these concepts are intimately connected. After all, what are courtesy and politeness if not signs of civility, of respect paid to another human being?
Listen Attentively
Try to focus on what the other person is saying rather than devising a response or a rebuttal. Whether you’re speaking face-to-face with a friend or addressing some stranger’s online comments, think before reacting. Ask questions before making assumptions.And avoid dominating a conversation. Recently, a young man and woman who looked to be in their mid-20s were sitting near me in a coffee shop. While I typed away, they talked. Or rather, the young man talked. Whether his companion was a date or a friend, I don’t know, but he went on incessantly about himself while she got in the occasional “Oh, right” or “That happened to me once.”
Respond to Incivility With Civility
On a card sent to a society for young people at a Presbyterian church, Mark Twain wrote: “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”Treat Others as We Wish to Be Treated
I have yet to encounter anyone who relished being on the receiving end of curses, ad hominem attacks, or even simple ill-mannered remarks. Everyone wants to be treated with basic civility.Whether we’re dealing with a supervisor or an employee, a spouse, a friend, or a stranger, the respect we pay them at minimum recognizes their humanity. The military has long followed this rule: “We salute the rank, not the man.” When we give respect to those around us, usually delivered by way of politeness, we do the same.
“No cause, societal or sacred,” Rev. Rolheiser wrote, “grants one an exemption from the rules of elementary human courtesy.”
And those good manners mean nothing more than showing respect for others. Do that, and we in turn show respect for ourselves.