The Beautiful Marriage Between Respect & Obedience.

Respect and obedience are words that are often misused and weaponized.

The bare minimum humans should give each other is respect, however the respect that opens doors, is earned.

Although people are usually obedient to those they respect, the two are not synonymous. If one believes respect requires obedience, this is when respect can be weaponized.

Obedience is what’s necessary to allow access to what you desire.

Obedience can be weaponized when it’s forced.

Respect gives you agency AND choices.

You have full control over whether you have respect for someone or not. There is no force in respect, it’s grown organically based on the persons actions and/or being. Both agency and choices can exist in this case because one cannot be forced to have respect for someone, even with violence.

Respect shouldn’t be conflated with instilling fear, implementing force and controlling others.

Obedience either stems from agency OR force.

The agency is whether you allow yourself to comply for your benefit or safety. The force is implemented when you have no choice or refuse to comply. Both agency and force cannot coexist, as one is done willingly and the other is not.