Does respect have to be earned?

[andygardener]

"You have to earn respect" !!!

 

I hear this a lot, Jeremy Kyle said it to someone today. If this is right does this mean that people who you don't know, or haven't known long enough for them to have "earned" your respect yet, deserve no respect from you??

 

Surely a basic level of respect is what we all should automatically have for each other, even for people we don't know; i for instance clear away my rubbish when I've finished my meal at McDonald's so that someone else wont find a messy table, because i think it would be disrespectful (to the next person, whoever that maybe) of me not to.

 

I don't think respect has to be earned, we all have an automatic right to that... i would say that it is disrespect that is earned.

 

I must say i'd always thought along the lines of respect needs to be earned but your post has changed my mind, the approach of disrespect being earned and respect being the default in the abscence of someone doing something that removes respect makes a lot more sense.

 

Thanks for the post, it's rare i change my mind about stuff and it's nice to do so now and then.