Accept vs. Respect

Everyone says it. Young people are not the same as they used to be. In my world, this change took place between my grade and the grade behind me in school. I know what you are thinking. Everyone thinks they are part of the good group and the people behind you don't live up to your high standards but in this case it is true.

In the first couple of years after high-school, when I would be back in Russell, Manitoba, some teachers would mention that my class was a much better class than the ones that came behind.

Kids these days are not the same. Throughout history, there have been several instances of youth uprising and change the establishment. However, it seems that kids these days don't do it right.

It all comes down to the difference between respecting an individual and accepting what they have to say.

People deserve to be respected. There may be a few exceptions. Names such as Hitler and Dahmer come to mind, but for the most part you should respect the people around you. You should really respect the ones that have gone before you and are trying to pass their knowledge and experience on to you.

However, that doesn't mean you should accept what is being said. History is full of instances where the establishment has passed on bad ideas to the newest generation. You don't have to dig deep to find some. The world is flat, women shouldn't vote, and the earth is the centre of the universe are a few examples.

Everyone should respect the people around you but you do not have to accept what they are saying. It is good to question and challenge what you are being taught but it must be done in a respectful manner.

This may be a bit easier said then done. It takes skill and tact to challenge and disagree while remaining respectful. You need to challenge and question the idea, not the person delivering the information. This can be hard. People can be very tied to their ideas but you can ask how does this idea fit within the natural world. 

It is important we send the newest generation down this road. It is my best idea to break the current entitled disrespect you see from so many young adults and teenagers. We need to build a society where free exchange of ideas for betterment is a skill held by everyone. Now, to have credibility in what you say, you need to have education and experience to back it up. Education is access to a lot of people's collective experience but you need to have experience to understand how the collective knowledge manifests itself in the world. At that point, you may be able to challenge while maintaining respect.

All is not lost but, we need to make sure that people understand that you do not have to accept what people are saying while you give them respect that they deserve.