As a child, I was taught to respect my parents, my grandparents, my teachers, and anyone who was an adult. In the classroom, the class rules always included some phrase similar to “respect others” or “always treat your classmates and teachers with respect.” Respect was plastered on every mission statement, every classic classroom poster. While respecting those who were my age and younger was promoted, there seemed to always be an emphasis on respecting one’s elders. As the perfect goody-two-shoes and follower of instructions, I never questioned the value of respecting one’s elders. I saw it as something that was to be honored and there was no question about it. But, I am no longer an oblivious child who follows the rules religiously, never stopping to question the ways of society and why I follow them blindly. I have seen how this seemingly virtuous value has been twisted and has silenced our youth.
According to Merriam-Webster, respect is to have due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of someone or something. We all have wishes and rights that we would like to have respected, because otherwise they vanish and mean nothing if nobody else acknowledges that they exist. However, I have found that when the youth of today are expected to respect those who are older than them, this concept becomes a one-way street. As a sixteen-year-old, I am expected to honor and have due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of anyone who is older. Yet, those who are older than me are not pressured by society to honor my feelings, wishes, or rights. It is acceptable for them to disregard my opinions, ignore my requests, and treat me as if I am mere scum on their shoe. This power dynamic creates a world in which we, the youth of today, are taught to sit still and look pretty and don’t question your elders for it would be disrespectful. It suppresses our creativity and our curiosity. It kills our ideas.
I understand that respect for people is necessary to allow for an environment in which people can speak their minds and feel that they are heard. I understand that when you are a child, although you may disagree with your parents about your curfew or certain restrictions placed on your freedom, that those rules they create should be recognized and followed. What I do not understand is why there is such an emphasis placed on respecting one’s elders, when I find that the emphasis should be placed on respect for all. I want to change this one-way street that encourages those who blindly follow and agree with what they are told simply to fit a mold. I want respect that is reciprocated, no matter one’s age, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, or any other category that is used to define a person. As Bryant H. McGill has said, “one of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” So elders and youth alike, please listen to one another and show respect, but don’t give up your values to do so.