---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you say people need to earn respect…"
description: "\"When you say people need to earn respect you fail to consider that who decides what 'respectable' means have historically been.\" — Anonymous"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/528/anonymous-1_earn-respect_when-you-say-people-need-to-earn-respect_2619642.jpg"
---

#  When you say people need to earn respect you fail to…

![“When you say people need to earn respect you fail to consider that who decides what 'respectable' means have historically been.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/528/anonymous-1_earn-respect_when-you-say-people-need-to-earn-respect_2619642.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/528/anonymous-1_earn-respect_when-you-say-people-need-to-earn-respect_2619642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/528/anonymous-1_earn-respect_when-you-say-people-need-to-earn-respect_2619642.jpg)

> “When you say people need to earn respect you fail to consider that who decides what 'respectable' means have historically been.”

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Respect is socially constructed; who defines "respectable" is shaped by historical power structures.

**In simple terms:** Respect depends on who decides its meaning.

Key Takeaway

Question authority on respect.

Themes

power social constructs respect

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

sociological philosophical

When to use this quote

- workplace
- education
- community leadership

Key Concepts

historical analysis critical theory ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- Who decides what is respectable?
- How can we redefine respect?

A Different Perspective

Power dynamics can be opaque.

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[Decides Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decides-respectable-2099821/) [Earn respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earn-respect/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-fail-2099823/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Respectable Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable-means-2099822/)

## Related quotes

> [Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should die if I heard my family called decent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/respectable-means-rich-and-decent-means-poor-i-should-die-if-i-heard/)

[Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/)

> [In Japan, mothers insist on achievement and accomplishment as a sign of love and respect. Thus to fail places children in a highly shamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/in-japan-mothers-insist-on-achievement-and-accomplishment-as-a-sign/)

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> [Get love, not lust. Earn respect, not pride. Speak kindness, not hatred. Fear nothing, FEAR NOTHING...but god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/get-love-not-lust-earn-respect-not-pride-speak-kindness-not-hatred/)

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> [You earn respect by how you live, not by what you demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-earn-respect-by-how-you-live-not-by-what-you-demand/)

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> [Dont be afraid to stand up for yourself or speak your mind, it will not only earn his respect, in some cases it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-be-afraid-to-stand-up-for-yourself-or-speak-your-mind-it-will/)

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> [If someone's honest with me, they earn respect, if not, they lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-s-honest-with-me-they-earn-respect-if-not-they-lose-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Just trying to earn respect and get better everyday. Motivated and dream chasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-trying-to-earn-respect-and-get-better-everyday-motivated-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You earn respect. Don't expect to have it for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-earn-respect-don-t-expect-to-have-it-for-free/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think one of the best ways to earn respect is to show respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-one-of-the-best-ways-to-earn-respect-is-to-show-respect/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Husbands should not have to earn respect anymore than wives should have to earn love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/husbands-should-not-have-to-earn-respect-anymore-than-wives-should/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You won't earn respect acting like a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-won-t-earn-respect-acting-like-a-child/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Being truthful and honest with yourself is the only way to earn respect from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-truthful-and-honest-with-yourself-is-the-only-way-to-earn/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Women should dress to earn respect not arouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-should-dress-to-earn-respect-not-arouse/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is no way to intentionally earn respect. It's a by-product of something else entirely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-way-to-intentionally-earn-respect-it-s-a-by-product-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You gotta earn respect. It's just not given to you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-gotta-earn-respect-it-s-just-not-given-to-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Anonymous

> [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/)

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> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

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> [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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> [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/)

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[Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More Earn respect quotes

> [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/)

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