There are many things to be concerned about; there are an overwhelming amount of troubles coming at our neighbours, friends, our culture, and globe. Not being anxious is difficult. In fact, it is so difficult that there are entire industries built around telling you how to be worry free! It's common to seek out spiritualism and religion to find calm and peace in the tumultuous world we live in.
Me? I don't really believe in peace.
What I mean to say, is that I don't see it as the principle which trumps all others. Peace comes at a price, and sometimes that price is submission, slavery, or annihilation. If giving up my right to free speech allows us to have peace, is it worth it?
If your answer is anything but NO, then you are on the path to fascism.
As individuals, we have the ability to seek peace in all that we do. Even when there is difference, disagreement, and the need for punishment; we can still seek to make peace in what we do. The truth is that sometimes peace for our neighbours means jail for someone else. Sometimes peace for our co-workers means unemployment for an individual.
Respect must be given. The sad truth is that respect must be earned. For the aggressive man who does not respect your rights, how do you cause him to treat you with respect if he doesn't want to? Well, you must stop him from disrespecting you. Correct? This is often why respect and fear are used interchangeably. If someone who hates you respects the power you wield, they will think twice about doing you harm.
It's why the police get respect - even from those who passionately hate them. Many people hate the police, and say disrespectful things to them, spit at them, fight them, and kill them - yet - because they are armed, and have the power of the law backing them, there is no choice but to respect the power they wield. Of course that doesn't mean that people will not hatch plans to corrupt and destroy the cops, but they are still forced to respect the power that they wield, like it or not.
Does that make sense? You don't have to like someone to respect the power they have. To treat the powerful with disrespect is foolish. You can plot and hate and cheat and lie, but being respectful will allow you to work on your schemes for a lot longer than open disrespect ever will.
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