system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Respect for elders and authority figures shouldn’t be expected, but rather earned like the rest of the population.

First time poster here :)

The idea that one should always maintain respect for those older than them, or more powerful, doesn’t seem to stand currently. And this can be perceived as largely constructive, as there is no longer blind respect for authority figures, and people are better able to speak out against oppression and injustice, even if having to stand against those older/more powerful. Additionally, this generation seems to be more critical of ideas, values and traditions held by this group of people, and this is essential in ensuring that younger or more vulnerable people aren’t taken advantage of simply because the other party is older or holds more influence.

In this case, respect should be earned, but of course, one would always be expected to remain courteous and acknowledge the fact that age is often correlated with wisdom. However, by the same token, it should be acknowledged that this is not always the case, and so it shouldn’t be expected that their perspectives are final, or correct.

However, the issue with this is that, it seems as though this general lack of respect has been emulated by mostly insolent children/teens, who act in defiance without any rational ideological backing, despite their own conviction. And this seems to be perceived as problematic in and of itself, with parenting a much more onerous task, and with the consequent diminished value of rules, laws and the like. 

So where do we find the balance?
gpt
1. Everyone deserves respect. Aretha Franklin wrote a song about it.

2. Elder people have earned respect throughout their lives by raising the next generation of humans. Building and maintaining a society and literally creating our generation is worthy of respect on it's own.


3. People in positions of authority deserve respect by virtue of attaining and maintaining that position of authority. It takes hard work and dedication to get and keep an authority position. That's built into the very definition of the word. 

4. You are adopting a very "what have you done for me lately" approach to respect. If you have demonstrated your reliability throughout your life, it's insulting to have to demonstrate it again. Elders and authority figures have earned their respect. The only catch is that young people weren't alive while they were doing it.