Almost anything will earn you respect in someone's eyes. But only certain things earn you respect in the eyes of those who are respected. It's that simple. So, true respect is not earned by hurting yourself or breaking the law. The respect thus gained is not true and lasting, because it must be reaffirmed. It is so important to some to be respected that they will do this and much more. However, the best way to gain respect is to be respectful. Make it an attitude, not something given to a person after they have proven themselves. That way, nothing can tear it down, but respect is something that a lot of people would do a lot of things for. Some would die for it, some would endure endless pain and suffering if they thought others would respect them for it. This is seen in the many gang and other rituals of cutting, burning, or otherwise injuring oneself, simply to gain the respect of other gang members. To me, that's ridiculous. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay If someone can't respect you for who you are, then it's not worth the time and effort it takes to earn their respect. Many people try to gain respect from others because they feel it is part of their religion to respect and be respected. Unfortunately, at least for Christians, this is false. The Bible simply says to love and bring others to Christ. This doesn't mean earning respect from others, but simply loving them even if they don't respect you. In the case of other people, the importance given to respect varies. Some people, like me, rely solely on the freely given respect that is earned through normal actions within your general range of behavior, rather than going out of your way to impress or earn someone's respect. Sometimes this is misinterpreted as a lack of concern for what others think of you, to the point that you might behave in an immoral, illegal, and/or distasteful manner. For example, I have a friend who only cares about what many people call the "lower" class of society. As a result, she is drawn into disgusting, immoral, and often illegal acts that include violence, allowing others to contribute to her delinquency as a minor, and other various forms of immorality and illegality. These acts are often self-destructive and painful for those who love him, i.e. his parents. By lowering herself to the level of those she feels need respect, she pushes that need for respect all the way to hell. The world she lives in is hell to most people, but because of those who give her a version of respect, it cannot be seen as such. I say version of respect because I saw the “respect” his “friends” give him. These people have no problem betraying her for drugs or sex, or hurting her parents because they think they have the right to do so. I have no right to truly judge, only the One who sits above can do so, however, from my mortal perspective, it seems that these people do not know the meaning of respect. I don't see that they respect my friend, or each other, or anyone else. To me, respect means that you listen to someone's ideas, follow the rules that have been established (i.e. the Ten Commandments or the Law), as well as knowing when to help someone or ask them if he needs help. To respect someone is not to assume that they are invincible, because that is idol worship, but to be..