I knew I'd end up wanting to say something in this thread. There are different types of respect. Skill & knowledge respect are definately earned. So, if that's all you are talking of, we agree totally.
However, there is a basic respect that people should start with. This respect stems from the golden rule, and should govern our interactions. I shouldn't have to earn your respect for my possessions, etc. This is basic civility. (One wouldn't dream of telling someone "I'll only respect your body once you earn it" unless they were trying to get knocked down in a nightclub. )
This basic innate respect for each other is what I'd like to see more of on this board. It's far too easy to spout off and start cutting others for a variety of reasons, and completely forget that the people you're responding to *are* affected by what you post. Why try to p*ss someone off? The social studies that can be made of online communities intrigues me. We have our bullies, our braggers, our wallflowers, our peacemakers, our leaders, our followers, etc. Fascinating.
Please, when engaged here, try to think about how your communication is going to be portrayed. How does your post reflect you, and how likely is it to accomplish its goal the way that it is written?
