Respect say something about you – Bohdi Sanders

However frivolous a company may be, still, while you are among them, do not show them by your inattention, that you think them so; but rather take their tone, and conform in some degree to their weakness, instead of manifesting your contempt for them. Lord Chesterfield

I could condense this statement by Lord Chesterfield down to one simple sentence, “Always use your manners, no matter who you may happen to be with at the time.” It doesn’t matter who you may be associating with at the present moment, there is never a good reason to treat them as if they are unimportant, or as if you are better than they are or above them. Treat everyone with courtesy and manners, at least until there is a very specific reason that you need to act otherwise towards them.

You have made the decision to associate with the people around you. Nobody has forced you to spend your time with those in your presence. No matter how insignificant, boorish, or rude you find the people around you, do not allow their mannerisms to affect your own standards of behavior. This doesn’t mean that you have to be stuffy or uptight, but only that you treat each person with a certain degree of respect. Even if someone deserves your disrespect, refrain from displaying your contempt.

You may think that this is going a little too far. After all, if someone doesn’t deserve any respect, why should you treat him with respect? The answer lies in the way you have decided to live your life. Do you want to be seen as someone with class, who acts appropriately in spite of the external circumstances, or do you want to be seen as someone who allows his emotions to control his actions? Churchill said, even if you have to kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite. Bohdi Sanders ~ excerpt from Defensive Living: The Other Side of Self-Defense available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009EF7U8M. Signed copies are available from https://thewisdomwarrior.com.