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| What is respect? | Started by: Todd_Murk on Dec 19, '08 01:51 |
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Now for something a bit more constructive. It seems that my previous conversation has made a few people upset. I can assure you that this was not at all my intention, but it seems like everyone's a bit sensitive lately. You can safely assume that unless I called you out personally, I meant no disrespect at all--and for all you keen observers out there, no, I didn't call anyone out in my previous speech. Anyway, I thought I would now pose a seemingly simple question to anyone who would listen: What is respect? I'd love to hear your input, especially how it applies to the Mafia. Feel free to elaborate as much or as little as possible. It appears that some of us have alternative opinions on the subject, so it should make for a good discussion. |
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Rispetto: esteem for, or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability. Ufficialmente, that is the definition, here, in the Seven Cities, I think it might be more applied in the sense of, "What can you give the family? How well do you keep omerta? Che cosa il vostro valore alla famiglia? |
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| Reply by: Vince_DiMartelli at Dec 19, '08 02:10 | |
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| Very Nicely put. | |
| Reply by: Vito_Rizzuto at Dec 19, '08 02:18 | |
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I was raised with a much more basic definition: Treat others how you would like to be treated. I think you could take this and come up with a hundred ways that it could be applied to the Mafia. I agree with your definition, but believe that it extends to not just the family. If I don't like a guy, I'll kill him--I'm not going to sleep with his wife first. You see what I'm sayin'? We're a brotherhood of sorts, and the law of respect (along with honor, family, omerta, etc) is what puts us above common criminals. |
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| Reply by: Todd_Murk at Dec 19, '08 02:25 | |
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s capisco, But capite, sometimes your honor and your boss' honor are two different things. Your honor may say 'let the guy walk' since that is how I would want to be treated, but the boss says deve essere sull'arca. Who are you to argue? If we over simplify it to the golden rule, then are we not all the worst offenders? I know I would never want to be thieved from, and yet I hold up stores. I do so for the respect of the family, because they say, "earn." The boss says to us "Devo mangiare." And so, we put aside our own sense of Honor, our own sense of how "WE" would do things, and being to think how la famiglia will do things. I know I would not like to be taken advantage of, I would not like to be blackmailed or bribed, and yet, that is part of our new 'honor.' The Family, This Thing of Ours, makes us part of one unit. It means that My honor should be as important as yours, and yours as mine. Credo that a more true motto would be "la mia parole vale sangue" |
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| Reply by: Vince_DiMartelli at Dec 19, '08 02:50 | |
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First and foremost, respect requires knowing your place. Boiled down to its most basic form, respect is about treating those around you the way that someone in your position should treat them. Respect is about regarding those who are actually better than you as though they are actually better than you. Or about treating your equals as equals, not people below you. On the other hand, the principle of respect dictates very little about how to treat those below you. If you're a boss, you have little reason to let random thugs accost you except the goodness of your heart. |
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| Reply by: Muqtada at Dec 19, '08 03:37 | |
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Yes "What is Respect" / Have we lost it here? Respect (which some of us can't spell I am sure) Me included some days. Respect to me is simple ... it would be knowing the right time, to do the right thing (some would call it brown nosing) call it what you will but times are hard and I want to survive on these streets of ours. (The alleyways are alot more dangerous) Another form of respect is that you "do what you are told", another would be being the most important ""Never never disgrace your family"" Now do some of us do this anymore simply "NO" .... Zpack steps down from the soap box and slide it to the next person in line |
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| Reply by: Zpack at Dec 19, '08 08:29 | |
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*Sips from his hipflask, pondering the words echoing the streets* Doing the right thing, at the right time? I'm not sure that would be part of my definition of respect, but I do respect your opinion and would never wish to force my own views upon anyone. I also don't believe that brown nosing should be considered respect, it should be considered as nothing more than brown nosing. *Sips again from his hipflask, dwelling a little longer before continuing* Respect is a complicated little beast. There are many ways to earn or lose it, equally there are many ways to show or prove it. Our actions, all of them, to each person we interact with show the respect we hold for that person and equally, in my own humble opinion, the respect we hold for ourselves. Whether it be the unquestionable devotion we show to our family and crewleader, the help and assistance we give to a new thug fresh off the boat to the shores of our land or how we handle a situation dealing with a hostile foe, each of these scenarios allow us to show the respect, or more importantly the lack of respect, we hold. Respect can be given for a number of reasons. Most commonly, it is due to fear. Fear of strength, fear of power, fear of a gun. It can also be given due to friendship, respect and admiration. However, to be considered truly respectful and to show true respect... I believe it must be a case where respect is shown for no other reason than for being respectful. *Sips again, enjoying the warmth that only a nice 18 year old whiskey can give, pondering his own words. Gives a little thought to the drink, giving it the respect it deserves* In the end, respect is a subjective matter. It is down to the individual concerned and while a community can create laws or rules to try and breed respect, it is always going to come down to the individual whether or not they choose to respect these rules. |
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| Reply by: MikeHunt at Dec 19, '08 08:59 | |
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Ducking through the apparent electrical storm of nonsense, MacLeod approaches the crowd. Certainly a worthwhile topic. I've always thought of respect as the external recognition of the honor that each man and woman carries within them. |
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| Reply by: MacLeod at Dec 19, '08 12:45 | |
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| I'd have to disagree with what Todd said that respect is about treating others the way we want ourselves to be treated. Sorry but I never believed that respect is a two way street. As what Muqtada have mentioned, the principle of respect dictates very little about how to treat those below you. If I'm a leader of a family why do I have to be obliged to respect someone below me? A leader does not need to earn any respect from anyone. He does not need to. He is the Boss. A Thug? Certainly. Ideally, mafiosi should earn the respect from those above them not the other way around. | |
| Reply by: QuickDeath at Dec 19, '08 13:19 | |
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Were the mafia, the golden rule doesn't not apply. respect here is different. you treat others how you want to be treated, you'll be taken advantage of. This is the cold hard streets. Respect here is being polite, knowing your place, and accepting what orders you are given by your family. Any violation of these is disrespect. Now, when I talk to lower ranking mafioso's, I do address them as sir, but I wouldn't talk to them as if they were a Don. Respect is something to be earned here, not given. We give everyone respect like that right off the docks and we have thugs and gangsters acting like they own the place. Muqtada has the perfect definition of respect. |
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| Reply by: BlackVampire at Dec 19, '08 14:40 | |
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| *Tazz_J comes into this big co-motion that he over heard* I think that respect is like this lets say someone is really good at something, very experienced (lets say its giving good speeches) and another person isn't so good at, but that person really enjoys giving speeches on whatever topic. The person that isn't so good at giving speeches has respect and admires the person that is really good at giving speeches because he knows that he isn't as good at them as this other person....following me so far. *Tazz_J takes a swig of his water* My first reasoning on what I think Respect means I believe is treating someone the way you want to be treated. If you want to be treated kindly, nicely and like someone who isn't immature then you should act that way and treat others the same way (nicely and with kindness) I think that if you treat someone nice then they "should" treat you nicely back. My second reasoning on respect is...*takes a swig of water and a bite of a cookie* is that lets say a huge war was going on and you had an idea as to what to do, but someone at a higher rank and authority than you has a different idea as to what to do. You should have respect for the higher authorities decision as to what to do and let him/her make the decision because he/she is probably more experienced in handling such situations than the person who is at lower rank. I just think that everyone should get along with everyone and that everyone should be understanding of everyone. *Tazz_J takes another swig of water, looks at the crowd, thanks them for listening and then calmly walks away hoping he made some sort of difference* | |
| Reply by: Tazz_J at Dec 19, '08 15:59 | |
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Respect is simple. Respect is honor. When you respect someone you show them honour in some form because you care enough to respect their point of view, respect their wishes, respect their space and so on. That's why I feel if you respect someone you show some kind of honour to that person. *lites joint and puffs* |
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| Reply by: Mobsta_Marley at Dec 19, '08 18:03 | |
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