0%

That's the number of my closest friends with whom I agree on absolutely everything. Same for members of my family. But ya know, I love 'em anyway.

That said, I tend to not have a higher standard for those I don't know personally. So I really like Obama, still glad I voted for him; don't always agree with him, but I'm nowhere near advocating for somebody else in that office. Jon Stewart disappoints me sometimes, Olbermann can be a bit off putting when he goes pompous, and Maddow can be silly at wrong moments; but I'm damned glad they are on the side of flesh and blood instead of corporate personhood.

And I still like hanging out on DU. I've made some friends here, and I've probably annoyed more than one or two. There is a common thread that runs between my family, friends, our President, the media personalities that I mentioned and my friends on DU -- that thread is respect. My friends and I are respectful of one another, even when we disagree. Within the family, respect is still tendered even in the most contentious moments. I'm not aware of Obama being anything but respectful (although he has been accused of being too respectful toward some people). And Stewart, Olbermann and Maddow tend to be respectful of their guests, especially those with whom they take issue.

But, just like in life offline, there are some at DU for whom respect is an unfamiliar currency, and their effect is toxic. They are like those in my community with whom conversation is tantamount to swallowing battery acid, with much the same effect; I've learned that no good purpose is served by repeating the experience unnecessarily. We are pleased to let each other go our separate ways. On DU, I've had to, somewhat reluctantly, resort to the "ignore" option; if you can't disagree without being disrespectful (or demeaning, insulting or abusive) I have no need to waste my time and energies with you. There are far too many opportunities for learning something useful to squander any of them in baited argument.

So, to all my 0% buddies on DU, your respectful discourse makes hanging around here well worth the time. You are appreciated.

Some demand it in exchange for something when they have not earned it. To them it is a commodity, they deny you something if you do not show them respect, and take a little of you if you choose to respect them. Monarchs are an example of that, as are some authoritative structures. Many times people confuse respect for submission to something for some concept of a reward.

Then there are many people that earn respect, and never do anything for you, or to help you, but you respect them for how they choose to live, because it isn't about you.



Your respect is something you completely own yourself, I try not to sell it for some reward, I don't think real respect can be bought.



Here is an example outside of linear thought in the supernatural. It is impossible to respect something that would wrongly allow you to unjustly 'burn'. And anything that has that decision also has the power to stop it or teach in a way to avoid that. Therefore you can never end up in hell by something that deserves devotion, since if it allowed you after life to be there, then it did not, outside of temporal thought, earn your devotion during life, making it impossible to correctly devote yourself to anything of destruction of soul.

It is a simple fact, the threat of damnation is more for social control then real, it can not be real in any system deserving of devotion, so it must either be an exaggeration for social control, or from something you should not respect or give any devotion to. Also why the comment, to save the world, not to destroy it, means so much to me.

It makes sense.

Hence why I like Why Worry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_03uXQiz6eY

But the one time you're wrong, you're a FUCKING NAZI!

That's how DU works now.

On edit:

We really are aping the Teaparty.

:applause:

VERY well done! Excellent! Five Stars!