Does "respect your elders" have a limit too?

[Anonymous]

Growing up that's what my parents ingrained within me. However, I believe every rule has exceptions too. If that elderly person is totally disrespectful towards you and others for no reason (they started it) and has gone too far then you can call them out on their BS.

What do you think? Isn't there a limit to that too?

Updates

+1 y

I recalled getting treated like garbage by a woman in her 70's. Even others were on my side and said she went too far.
This was my reply towards her:
"With all due respect, you need to just zip it already. Get a life."

[Amara_09]

Yes. Elders must be respected but if you are like my uncle……. you want to treat me like your Uber driver then I am sorry but I will never answer your calls. I have things to do too.


Some of my aunts have this problem too. I like to help my family but sometimes I hate it when I am treated like a freaking idiot. I will respect you because you are an elder but don’t do petty shit

[Cutegirl06]

My parents taught us that respect is earned, just because someone is older than you doesn't me you should respect them if they aren't respecting you.

[BarryLiverstone]

To me respect is earned. But I think what is meant by that is to give elders the benefit of the doubt because likely they have more experience and are wiser. So if they are giving advice it’s more likely they are helping.


Sure even elders can be mean or abusive so use your gut and judgement. You don’t owe every single one any respect.

[Asker]

Yeah if they're being irrational and straightforward abusive, then they shouldn't be surprised if I call them out on their bad behavior.
I was treated like garbage once. I simply told the lady to get a life. She was shocked and kept telling others "oh you heard what she said" and venting about young people nowadays. No one took her side. They all saw she started it.

[BarryLiverstone]

Obv she’s an exception.

Why did you ask about elders?

[Asker]

I wanted to hear some opinion. Some people probably think they need to be respected even if they're treating you like garbage.

[BarryLiverstone]

If they think that it’s illogical. If my parents saw an elder treating me badly they would protect me and tell that elder off or just leave.

Anyone who abuses others isn’t worthy of respect. Regardless of age. Right?

[Asker]

It's great to see we're on the same page. Exactly.

[TheSpider]

No. And it pisses me off as an Elder (63 years old) that no one respects me. It used to be you did. I respected all my uncles, aunts, grandparents and parents. Of course that was the 1970s. NOW- this generation of vipers would cut your throat as soon as look at you.

[PrincessFlora]

Poor lad

[Asker]

I'm sorry to hear that. The only elder (lady in her 70's) I told to get a life was after several attempts in being nice but still got treated poorly. The others that heard and saw the commotion (even another elder too) didn't take her side. They also thought that lady went too far.
Otherwise I do respect my elders but if someone is really treating me horrible for no reason (even when I've been polite from the start) then I've reached my limit by then.

[TheSpider]

Reached your limit? How do you think that 70 year old lady feels. I can tell you I have trained 20 somethings from at least three different decades on a dozen jobs. And you get tired of each generation's foibles. By damn.. NOBODY respected me when I was that age. And they still don't. BURNS my ass.

[RebelinSteel]

Having seen the attitude of old people or a lot of older people, I don’t give them respect until they show they can positively earn it. Plenty old fuckers are just avoiding a coffin and making things harder for everyone else.

[TheSpider]

And you'll be there one day. God Willing.

[RebelinSteel]

@TheSpider exactly the same applies, respect does not automatically come with age. When I am older or even now being older to someone younger, I do not instantly expect respect. People need to pretty much earn it or fuck off.

[TheSpider]

The KJV disagrees. Leviticus 19:32 “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.”

[RebelinSteel]

@TheSpider see that’s how you instantly loose and respect and put yourself in the nutter to avoid section. Zero recovery from that, avoid that in the real world as people will not respect you any day of the week.

[Anonymous]

Respect your elders like every aspect of enforced high respect can be a very problematic thing. I've always found that when people want more respect they honestly deserve less.

Everyone deserves a decent amount of respect, however anything else they have to prove if they deserve more or less.

[NamerOfStars]

What is "respect"? I'll tell you right now, it's down sitting down, shutting up, and refusing to question or challenge them.

[douride2]

I have always treat others the same way I would like to be treated. That is until they give me a reason not to. Then it is open season.

[Asker]

Exactly. If they are truly irrational and total disrespectful, I don't have to be super nice anymore.

[laly520]

it does have a limit
some elders doesn't deserve respect but better one ignore em instead of disrespecting em