Have you ever been treated like an idiot? Have you ever treated anyone like an idiot?
On occasions when I treated people with less respect than I should have, I was greatly influenced by others. I remember one regretful incident when I attended a faculty presentation. A mentor who I highly regarded greatly ridiculed the faculty member's intelligence and skill. So when I went to the presentation, I didn't go with a positive or open mind. My behavior was regrettable. As I think of other past situations when I acted that way, in each case I was influenced by someone I regarded highly. In hindsight, no matter who you regard highly, that does not give you permission to treat anyone with a lack of respect. I was wrong in those situations.
Recently I was treated with a lack of respect. I was treated as if I was an idiot and called a number of names that totally disregarded who I am or what I stand for. Did I earn that disrespect? If so, how?
As I think about the situation, words of a friend come to mind. She said, "We are Lords of the Flies (referring to the book), if we allow people to treat us poorly, they will, and if we don't, they won't." In some ways, I believe my words and actions opened the door to disrespect in the situation I refer to above. We can't allow ourselves to be sitting ducks to deadly disrespect and ridicule. Instead we have to be open-minded when people debate our actions, and if we deem our actions to be in keeping with our good values and goals, we have to stand up for ourselves. If the challenge of others proves we can better our ways, then we have to honestly own our past actions and move ahead of regrettable actions to better behavior.
None of us deserve to be treated like idiots. All of us have to take the challenges we face seriously though and own actions that may not be in keeping with our values or beliefs. Onward.
