Flown wrote:
Fnord wrote:
I respectfully disagree; but, like all other privileges, respect for one's parents can be revoked at any time and for any reason, with physical or emotional abuse from one's parents being perfectly appropriate reasons.
I suppose we will have to continue to disagree
I believe that a
healthy respect can be earned if parents only reciprocate it to their children (and, no, I don't mean letting them run wild and do whatever they want). When we teach children that they should automatically bow to an authority or the "seat of power, we do them a great disservice and deprive them of multiple learning opportunities. Demanding respect without good explanation not only defies logic but it discourages actual acts of communication, empathy, kindness, honesty, and gratitude. I think the aforementioned approach is unhealthy and unnecessary.
I'd say given the nature of how a relationship with one's parents works it's inevitable it will start from a point of respect. I agree with you that more can be earned once the kid gets old enough to understand things better.
I don't think both of your positions are out of alignment significantly.
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"Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now." —Former U.S. Airman (Air Force) Aaron Bushnell