By Lim Soo Ping
We often hear the phrase “dignity and respect” being used. The two words are similar, but not identical, in meaning. “Dignity” is a birthright of all human beings, whereas “respect” must be earned.
The recognition of a person’s dignity is an essential tenet of human relations. This means showing courtesy and consideration when one relates to others, even adversaries.
When two parties are in a conflict, resolution is difficult if each party acts without regard to the dignity of the other.
A contributing factor to the ending of the three decades of military conflict between Israel and Egypt in 1979 was the mutual respect that Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat had for each other. Each of them acknowledged the dignity of the other person as a fellow human being and as a national leader.
Similarly, in any conflict, whether it is at a workplace or within the family, the recognition of dignity is key for resolution.
Charities exist to help the disadvantaged members of our society live a life of dignity, whether they are the poor, the homeless or children with physically or learning disability.
While important, dignity is also fragile. The dignity of people can easily be damaged when:
– Their views are not solicited or are simply ignored.
– They are belittled or shown disrespect.
– Their achievements are not acknowledged or recognised.
– They are unfairly treated.
Conversely, the dignity of persons are acknowledged and upheld when:
– Their views are sought especially on matters affecting them,
– Their achievements are acknowledged, and
– They are apologised to by those who offended them.
In life, there are moments when a small act of acknowledging the dignity of a person brings a moment of happiness to a person, even a stranger, e.g. just saying hello to a person in the elevator.
There are so many ways we can acknowledge the dignity of a person in an everyday situation. Consider this scenario: A man takes his 5-year-old daughter to lunch when her mother is busy. The little girl is crying because she has hurt her hand. Her father is at his wit’s end trying to calm her. You are at the adjacent table and you happen to have a small packet of cookies, which you think might help to calm the girl.
Should you simply offer the cookies to the little girl? Perhaps not as it would be more appropriate to first ask the father if it is okay. An even better way is to pass the cookies to the father, and let him give them to his daughter. Such approach upholds the dignity of the father.
Similarly, it is better to help the poor by giving them jobs than to give handouts. Work upholds the dignity of a person.
As we live our own life with dignity, let us also bring happiness to others through acts that recognise their birthright of dignity.
Lim Soo Ping
(Feature image by Vicky Sim on Unsplash)
