Respect
Respect: A Currency More Valuable Than Your Salary (But Somehow Worthless to Corporations)
“To have someone’s respect is earned, but to show someone respect is human decency.” — Probably a Wise Person, Definitely Not a Corporate Executive
As Markiplier has it, respect. The foundation of human relationships, the cornerstone of mutual understanding, and ironically, the one thing most workplaces lack.
We hear about it all the time. "Respect is earned, not given!"
But let’s be real here. That’s usually just a phrase used by people who don’t respect anyone but demand it from everyone.
So let’s break this down. What is respect? How does it work? And most importantly, why does corporate culture treat it like an optional DLC?
The Basics of Respect: A Two-Way Street, Not a Toll Road
Respect is simple. It’s treating others like actual people instead of disposable NPCs. It’s not some exclusive VIP club where you gatekeep basic decency until someone impresses you.
Showing respect is not the same as worshipping someone. It doesn’t mean:
✔ Agreeing with everything they say.
✔ Letting them treat you like garbage.
✔ Ignoring their terrible takes because “they’re older.”
It does mean:
✔ Acknowledging their humanity.
✔ Not being a jerk for no reason.
✔ Understanding that different perspectives exist.
And yet, some people struggle with this concept. Shocking.
Respect: A Reciprocal Relationship (Or At Least It Should Be)
Here’s the thing—respect is a two-way exchange.
You give it, you get it back. Simple.
But some people treat it like a one-way transaction. They demand it without reciprocating it. They believe that authority, status, or wealth automatically entitle them to your respect.
Let me put it this way:
- A manager who treats their employees like dirt? Doesn’t deserve respect.
- A customer screaming at a cashier? Doesn’t deserve respect.
- Some self-important guy who thinks he’s above everyone else? You get the point.
On the flip side—
- A person who treats others with kindness, regardless of status? Respect.
- A leader who acknowledges mistakes and listens? Respect.
- Someone who simply doesn’t make your day worse? Respect.
It’s really not that complicated.
Who You Were vs. Who You Are Now
I don’t care about where you came from, your background, your race, your ethnicity, or what kind of NFT scams you almost fell for in 2021.
What matters is who you are now and how you treat people.
Are you someone who treats everyone with respect?
Or are you someone who only respects people you think are useful to you?
Because that second type?
Yeah. That’s not respect.
That’s just transactional selfishness.
Respect in the Workplace: The Corporate Myth
Now, let’s talk about the biggest scam of all—respect in corporate culture.
HR departments love to throw around phrases like “we foster a culture of respect!”
But what they really mean is:
“We expect you to respect us, but we will treat you like a replaceable cog in the machine.”
Respect in the workplace should mean:
✔ Fair pay for your work.
✔ Being valued as a person, not a productivity stat.
✔ Managers who actually listen instead of just nodding while waiting for their turn to talk.
But instead, it often means:
❌ Being expected to work overtime with zero compensation.
❌ Having your ideas ignored unless someone higher-up can steal credit for them.
❌ Being expected to "respect" managers who see you as nothing more than an efficiency rating.
The truth is, most corporations don’t respect you.
They respect your output.
And the second that output dips? You’re disposable.
Final Thoughts: Respect Isn’t That Hard
At the end of the day, respect shouldn’t be a complex topic. It’s not some ancient lost knowledge that only a select few can unlock.
It’s simple:
- Treat people like human beings.
- Understand that respect is mutual.
- If someone refuses to give respect, they don’t deserve yours either.
And most importantly—
4. Don’t expect people to respect a system that doesn’t respect them.
Because real respect is earned, not demanded.
And it sure as hell isn’t measured in quarterly reports.
