Respect

 

                Respect is a positive feeling that can be considered as admiration towards someone. Respect also related to the understanding of relationship dimension of one and another, for example the relationship of siblings, lecturer and student, parents and child and so on. Respect is also can be considered as a non-permanent feeling, which it can change overtime; it can increase or decrease depending on the consequence of an action, may it be in a form of verbal or non-verbal.

The importance of respect 

                Respect is also can be given and also received, the concept of respect was often thought as it were to be earned or built over time. There are few elements or factors that may affect the way we perceived, look or treat the others.

                The verbal communications is very important, to gain respect and to show our respects towards the elder or to those who are different from us. We were taught about manners since we were young. Respect can be expressed verbally as it is can be delivered in a simple yet understandable way, for example, the way we address people, in Chinese culture, if normal for them to prompt for the basic demographic information including the age, so it would be easier for them to address the other party accordingly

                To pay respect by using a non-verbal queues, we can refer to all of the famous gestures that we have seen or learnt as we grow. Through several context, we’ll be able to see that for the Malay, when we’re about to walk pass by the elders, we slightly bow our head to show them respect, and as for the Indian wives, they would bend to touch their husband foot to pay them respect.

        

             In Malaysia, our Malay culture was known for our kindness, the way we speak and address the others, we are rich with customs that has shaped our society. We were taught of not to budge when the elders were talking, we were taught not raise our voice to our siblings, to bow our head when we’re handshaking with someone that we acknowledge or deserve our respect.

              The new era of technology has made us forget these simple yet valuable manners. Because the current age, we are impervious to influence, we would practice something different from our root simply because it seems more laid back. Teenagers from current age look up highly of the way American teenagers live their life as the way they address each other, the way they dress, the music influence and some other factors. Don’t be surprised if someday, our culture would turn out differently after the Americanization.

               As the conclusion of what is happening in our society, our morale value has been decreasing since the wave of Americanization came, to preserve our beautiful heritage, the beauty of our culture, we must implement and reprimand in order to ensure the survival of our ethnic.

 

 

As Per Quoted by Maya Angelou