Tolerance can be imposed but respect is earned. Like love, it’s not something that can’t be enforced with rules.
- Being respected is generally desirable.
- Being respected by everyone isn’t necessary.
- You may fire someone for not respecting another employee but that won’t make them respectful.
- You may avoid being fired due to leaders or laws that require tolerance but that won’t earn you respect.
- Your enemies can respect you and still butcher you.
- Tolerance can be a default behavior toward strangers - and I would recommend it - but a relationship doesn’t start with mutual respect. It starts with mere tolerance.
- Disrespect is simply the absence of respect. It doesn’t imply hatred.
tolerance: intentional avoidance of destructive action
respect: feeling of appreciation toward someone’s behavior as in “I like what they do”
disrespect: absence of respect
love: feeling of appreciation toward a whole person rather than specific behavior
hatred: feeling that someone should not be around (?)
Martin Jambon, September 20, 2022