As humans, we are apparently born with an innate knowledge of right and wrong. However, through our experiences growing up, when our mind is at its most malleable state, it seems that innate knowledge [innate: present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development] can be contaminated and tainted, allowing for individuals to not be able to distinguish truly right from truly wrong. Our tainted society that worships quantity over quality and social status over discovering a cure for AIDS/CANCER/ILLITERACY/TUMORS/WORLDHUNGER/POVERTY [please, take your pick] has allowed our minds to truly believe even the crulest of acts to be acceptable. Reedemable. Cowards are praised and worshiped while unsung heros are mocked in scorn. Genetically gifted people always overcome the truly gifted. Respect is nothing but a fashion statement, something called on by gangstars and thugs that "represent." It is not earned and falsely given, which is one of our cultures biggest fault lines, that will eventually turn into a devestating disaster.
I have always been taught to keep my name clean, to keep myself respectable. If one doesn't have respect from their peers, and their name is tarnished beyone recongnition, what do they have? Everything else can be taken away; material possessions will depreciate, devalue, break, and be replaced by new material objects that will in turn deppreciate, devaule, break and then be replaced. Respect is not tangeable, and therefore cannot physically be removed. Respect should be gained and obtained by those you care most about, but someitmes someone you think you know, you respect and who you think respects you, throws it back in your face.
and it sucks.