Sociology Essay on Respect

The majority of people appreciate receiving respect from others. However, in its actuality, people fail to give respect to other people much of the time. Fundamentally, respect takes some forms, which include respect for other people, respect for an individuals property, and most importantly, respect for one. It is undeniable that if one wants to respect from another person, then it is important that the other person gives back respect first before he or she is given. My first major encounter with the word respect can be traced back to the first assignment given to me right after the high school education. I did secure some job with the local construction company and was required to oversee a $0.5 million project and some contractors to oversee. On a wider note, this task entailed rebuilding all of the original pumping and chlorination systems and ultimately chops out and conducts a reinstallation of the concrete decks.

Within me, I tremendously felt the pressure but wanted to demonstrate to the whole companys fraternity that I knew what I was doing and that the knowledge that I possessed could navigate me through all the requirements and task for the success of this operation. Thankfully, I learned the most important lesson of my career very early in this assignment. In its actuality, it came to my realization that I possessed the minimal knowledge and ability to see any probable future challenges that were linked to this assignment. Within the company, there were tradesmen who had worked for the company for many years; others decades. Due to their everyday hard work, they had the ability to see problems before it happened and thus could focus on the important aspects of the assignment before any dangers occur. One of the oldest employees of the company approached me and asked with a lot of respect if I could agree and allow him to share with me about the nature of the project I was to undertake. With a lot of respect too, I agreed and began sharing. This was a great moment because I got to know that respect is paramount and that when one is respectful, then they are put in suitable situations to have a deeper understanding of the situation on the ground. The guy who approached me showed me that it is because of mutual respect that existed between other people and him that enabled him to succeed and work there for many years. A few weeks later, I approached other employees in the company, and we shared a lot. The trust and love that followed our discussion offered a good foundation for the success of this assignment a few months later. I came to conclude that respect is paramount!

Offer a series of definitions and usages

The definition and meaning of respect are something that everyone wants to know. It is something that different people within the society would love to work and associate with for any probable success in the future. In its actuality, it is undeniable that majority of the people would desire to get respect from others. However, do people give back respect when given? Unfortunately, a lot of time, this mutual process hardly occurs. So what is the definition of respect? In the novel Lead with Respect: A Novel of Lean Practice, Balle and Balle defines respect as a deferential self-esteem felt or shown towards a person or quality. Balle and Balle mention that to be respectful, an individual must first find respect for himself. Whether they agree with their colleagues at some instance, they should at all-time demonstrate politeness, courteousness, and humility for others.

According to the American constitution, respect means the practice of upholding ethical values, establishing justice and domestic tranquility, and securing the blessing of liberty to oneself. On a wider note, these values are the foundational aspects of effective nation building. As noted in the constitution of the United States, every citizen must abide by all the laws and regulations so as to uphold and achieve the primary objective of the Constitution and the nation as a whole; the union of the people.

In the Holy Bible, Apostle Peter offers the summary of the Bibles teaching in his first Epistle and asserts that show proper respect for everyone. Love the brotherhood of the believers, fear God and honor the King (1 Peter 2: 17). A closer look at this passage shows that it integrates four major important elements of our lives. These include the as the followers of the Christ; we should respect the humanity, other believers, God, and the governmental authorities. The illustration and description offered by the Bible are, therefore an act of placing a great value or high price on something.

Locate and describe any underlying reasons for the difference in usage

A different definition of a word in a different context does not come alone but are instigated by various motives or factors. From the Biblical point of view, respect is defined as the act of showing proper respect for everyone. To me, I think that respect within this context means listening to someone elses ideas and following the rules that have been established by a given authority. Christians should know that respecting someone is not an act of assuming that they are invincible, but to be their friends whenever they need your help. This perspective also involves to be able put petty disagreements in the past and follow what one desires after praying and believing that these actions are to the best of ones interests, because of the knowledge gained from God.

Similarly, the Constitution of the United States offers a perspective on the significance of respect in the nation socio-economic and political environments. Individuals and ethnic groups need to live together peacefully. The principle of individual liberty and the limited government offers a wider meaning that there are certain aspects of human activity that belong to the individuals to decide.

The state of peace cannot be achieved if citizens do not respect the constitution. When we show respect to the constitution, then we get to benefit the privileges associated with such regulations, and this may include a wide range of freedom.

Identify one or more usages that feel familiar or reasonable to you

Another important context in which respect can be applied is in learning institutions. Learners must be able to respect the rules and regulations in learning institutions, including the different groups of people within. Students must respect their teachers and fellow learners, as this is the beginning of the appropriate process of knowledge gain. The usage of respect in this context is important to me because success is what everyone needs, but is not possible without showing proper respect to everyone. Therefore, it is important for learners to uphold optimal respect for others for them to succeed.