I think there is a difference between respecting a person's opinions and respecting their intelligence and then also respecting them as a human being.
I think respecting someone as a human being is a minimum level.
Respecting someone's intelligence or faculties is another step. And that would mean that whether or not you agree with them or came to the same conclusions you would respect that they had worked things out for themselves, or at least give them the benefit of the doubt. I think it's really easy for us to believe that people who disagree with us are just plain wrong or that they aren't thinking or being willfully ignorant. While that might be the case sometimes, I'm still not sure if that makes a person unworthy of respect. Everyone fucks up at something. I think on those grounds it would be just as reasonable to disrespect anyone who cut in line or made fun of someone. Because kindness is also a value. But best of all, I think, is to try mightily to continue respecting people.
Then there's respecting someone's opinion. But an opinion is separate from a person. So that's not too troublesome, though I think it's good to try to give people the benefit of the doubt on their opinions too, as long as those opposing opinions aren't doing any active harm.
But that's me. You have no responsibility or duty to do this, of course. But everyone likes to feel respected and valued and I think it's the best environment for free discourse.
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I think there is a difference between respecting a person's opinions and respecting their intelligence and then also respecting them as a human being.
I think respecting someone as a human being is a minimum level.
Respecting someone's intelligence or faculties is another step. And that would mean that whether or not you agree with them or came to the same conclusions you would respect that they had worked things out for themselves, or at least give them the benefit of the doubt. I think it's really easy for us to believe that people who disagree with us are just plain wrong or that they aren't thinking or being willfully ignorant. While that might be the case sometimes, I'm still not sure if that makes a person unworthy of respect. Everyone fucks up at something. I think on those grounds it would be just as reasonable to disrespect anyone who cut in line or made fun of someone. Because kindness is also a value. But best of all, I think, is to try mightily to continue respecting people.
Then there's respecting someone's opinion. But an opinion is separate from a person. So that's not too troublesome, though I think it's good to try to give people the benefit of the doubt on their opinions too, as long as those opposing opinions aren't doing any active harm.
But that's me. You have no responsibility or duty to do this, of course. But everyone likes to feel respected and valued and I think it's the best environment for free discourse.