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Respect

philosophy religion Maturity 13-18 Next article →

Respect is a very positive feeling or action. It shows that you admire someone's good qualities. People show respect by caring about the needs of others. In many cultures, people believe everyone is worthy of respect. Some people must earn special respect through their actions. These are often called honor cultures.

Respeitoplaca
Respeitoplaca

There are many ways to show respect through words. People use honorifics to show respect to others. An honorific is a special title like "Doctor." In Japan, using polite language is very important. In China, calling someone by their first name can be rude. People there often use titles at work. Friends might call each other "senior" or "junior." Even age is used to know how to speak to someone.

Silence and Respect
Silence and Respect

Physical gestures are also used to show respect. In India, a person might touch their feet to show respect. This is called pranāma and shows love or power. If a foot touches a book, a person might apologize. They touch their fingertips to the book and then their forehead. In Islamic cultures, people might kiss the hands of a teacher. Muslims also treat the holy Quran with great care.

Westindischer Maler um 1530 001
Westindischer Maler um 1530 001

Different cultures have different rules for bowing and greeting. In China, people bow to show respect to elders. They place one fist in the palm of their other hand. A deeper bow shows even more respect. Kowtowing is a very deep bow used at temples. In Japan, you should not point directly at someone. A person with lower status must bow lower than someone with higher status.

Westindischer Maler um 1530 001
Westindischer Maler um 1530 001

Respect is often seen as a very important virtue. A philosopher named Immanuel Kant wrote about this in 1785. He believed we should treat people as an end in themselves. In many Indigenous American societies, respect is a moral value. It is taught to children when they are very young. Children show respect by helping with chores like cooking or cleaning. This helps them become part of their community.

Westindischer Maler um 1530 001
Westindischer Maler um 1530 001
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File:Silence and Respect.jpg
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File:Westindischer Maler um 1530 001.jpg
Westindischer Maler um 1530 001.jpg
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Respeitoplaca.JPG
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