Somewhere along the way, we became a little too comfortable being disrespectful to one another. We’ve confused being outspoken with being rude, honesty with cruelty, and having an opinion with having the right to make someone else feel small.
And honestly, it’s getting old.
It seems like everywhere we turn, there’s another example of someone being belittled, talked down to, or treated poorly simply because someone disagrees with them. We’ve created an environment where people feel comfortable saying whatever comes to mind without considering how their words might affect the person on the receiving end.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. We don’t have to agree with everyone, and we’re certainly not going to get along with every person we meet. But when did disagreeing with someone become an excuse to disrespect them?
There’s a difference between being honest and being hurtful. There’s a difference between standing up for yourself and tearing someone else down. And there’s certainly a difference between having confidence in your beliefs and believing you’re better than everyone around you.
I think we’ve forgotten that basic respect shouldn’t depend on whether we like someone, agree with them, or have anything to gain from them. It should be something we give simply because we’re dealing with another human being.
A little patience, a little kindness, and a little consideration can go a long way. Holding a door open, saying thank you, listening when someone speaks, or simply choosing not to make an unnecessary comment aren’t complicated gestures. They’re basic acts of courtesy that seem to be getting lost along the way.
And perhaps the biggest problem is that we’ve started excusing disrespect as just the way people are. We laugh it off, brush it aside, or call it someone’s personality. But being rude isn’t a personality trait, and being disrespectful shouldn’t be something we learn to tolerate.
We aren’t always going to see eye to eye, and that’s okay. In fact, the world would be pretty boring if we all thought exactly alike. But we should be able to have different opinions, different backgrounds, and different perspectives without losing the ability to treat one another with decency.
At the end of the day, respect doesn’t cost a thing. You don’t have to agree with someone to treat them kindly, and you don’t have to like someone to treat them with dignity.
Maybe we don’t need another lecture about how divided the world has become. Maybe we just need to remember how to treat people.
Because being respectful shouldn’t be the exception. It should be the expectation.
