Opposites Respect

People say opposites attract, but in the nonromantic world, this is so often untrue. Looking through comments on news articles, or even the news itself unveils this. Partisanism and attacks can be seen everywhere, from the big fish to each of the little readers. This unstoppable cycle of viciousness to those who differ from us can make it feel like the world is black and white. People cannot see or respect someone with differing views. This also what makes one relationship I have witnessed all the more amazing. My mom is very liberal and is an active debater with anyone who wants to. My grandfather lies more on the libertarian side in general but also loves to debate and contest opposing views. My mom and my grandpa can often get into intense conversations, proposing their view to the other. These almost battle like debates can feel like they are heading to the same area that the vicious cycle of attacks comes from, but in the end it amazingly never does. They do not attack, both sides love each other, and even more, respect each other. My grandfather values hard work, determination, and generally being a good conscious person. My mother also values these traits, and both of them see it in each other. It is much harder to end up in a place of put-downs when both sides see themselves in the other. They see the good each one gives, and the common values that are upheld between them. Respect between people who see differently is much harder to gain than those who see the same. Respect so often comes from seeing oneself in the other, and to see oneself in some who thinks so differently is hard. People need to look past opinions, they need to look at ideals. The ideals of a lot of people line up so often, they want health, happiness, they want to be moral, they want to make a better world for the future. How each person sees the best option can be radically different, and to some people, others ideas can feel completely wrong, but they might want the same goal in the end. Respect on both sides can help proceed to this end goal, as each person ideas are heard. Sometimes it can truly feel too hard to give respect though. Ideas can feel abhorrent to different people at different times, and even giving the light of day to those opinions can feel wrong. That is the toughest spot because when an idea violates someone's morals, does the other side deserve respect. In a lot of cases, the answer is no. Giving someone something so valuable as respect, when their answers feel abhorrent to oneself does something even worse than not giving them respect. It takes away the respect one has for themselves. Each person's opinions deserve respect from themselves firstmost, and giving it to ideas that make oneself feel terrible, or seem despicable, is not respecting ones own ideas. Respect is finicky, but it is incredibly important. When it can be given it should, not only for other's sake but for oneself. By respecting others they can respect your ideas. But respecting something that does violate the morality of oneself breaks one's own respect for their ideas. Respect must be earned, but it also must not be locked up. People need to be willing to give it so that conversations can happen. People must be willing to earn it so that conversations can happen.