M

y dad used to say, “Respect a person because of his/her character, not due to his status or wealth.”

I was a kid then. I didn’t know what he meant by such an admonition. I remember my father used to confront anyone who did something against the rules no matter what rank or status they held.

He was considered too vocal in expressing what he believed to be the truth.

While his principles garnered him popularity among people in my village, his actions put him at odds with those in power. He is my hero. In my position at work, I have the chance to observe various kinds of people, mostly those who have power. It’s quite fun to see how they interact with us, people who have no power. It’s quite enlightening and sometimes you can gain wisdom during these moments.

It is expected that people should be nice and show respect to to those in power because otherwise you may get in trouble. But how do most people treat those who can do nothing to help them? How do people in power look at those who are at the bottom of “caste system” in their office?

On the television screen or in daily life, we often see the rich and powerful treat subordinates like dirt. How a person treats those lower in rank says a lot about his/her character.  

I believe those who have good character will earn respect and retain it. Earning respect by imposing fear only lasts as long as the person holds their rank.

Herlina
Jakarta