Selective Respect

Today...don't even ask about how today was.
I guess it started out quite well I mean by 3pm I was feeling like it was a good work day and that I'd post on my blog that it was a good work day.

At work I watched "17 Again" on HBO. My first impression (besides "Damn, Zac Efron is pretty darn cute") was "Aw, this movie is so sweet", especially the part where he talks about how much he loves his wife reading off a page but the page is actually directions on how to get to the courtroom. I watched the movie in mute and reading Chinese subtitles (which wasn't too easy, given my level of Chinese). Later on that day, things began to unfold in a way that started making me see this movie differently.

He really relied on his looks a lot.


Instance #1: They were having sex ed in class where they were passing out condoms. He talked about how sex is good when it's with that right person and stuff like only do sex after marriage and when you look at your baby daughter how you'll feel and girls need to respect themselves etc. and all the girls were looking at him like he was some gift from heaven--so special to believe in sex after marriage and all. However, if he were in his dad form at 37 years, the kids would not have listened to him at all. They'd probably throw stuff at him to make him shutup about all that old conservative daddycrap. Or if he were some loser looking kid in school, well, lol who's gonna listen to him?
Basically, he only pulled that off because he was a cute teenage boy, even though the content of what he talked about is exactly the same as what parents teach their kids.



Instance #2: The whole entire story. How he got back with his wife. It was because he was a young kid again and was able to talk to his wife from a different standpoint. She listened to him then, and wouldn't have if he weren't the young highschool student he was for that time period. Partly because his wife didn't know it was him, but I felt that a lot of the time she took his word for things more because he was young and attractive. And all those things he talked to her about she never would have taken in if he were in his old husbandform.


I had to get out of work today as soon as I could. I was stifling for some reason.


So here goes, the Naked Story of the Day: Someone who's been working at the restaurant is back and is coming to work with us again. To make a long story short, he's this experienced bartender and he wants to work as a waiter and everyone started swooning over the fact that he's actually doing the "harder" (?! if thats how you'd describe it)/"more tiring"/"lower position" work. I mean they were even apologizing that they asked him to takeover for a shift.

I respect him. I really do. He's been here for a long time, and he's undeniably one of the best bartenders around.

But on the other hand, I respect everyone. I respect this guy who's joining us for day shifts for the rest of the month. I also respect the person who's just come in yesterday for his first shift. I respect the person who's been here for two years. I respect the boss. I respect the customers. Unless someone has given me reason otherwise, I respect everyone.

Why is it that there is a hierarchy created and it's okay not to respect people "below" you but if you dare offend someone above you or give them "less respect than they deserve", you'd better be thinking of ways to make it up to them right away?

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve this respect. Sure he does. It's just why have I been treated this differently coming into work? I'm not being all high and mighty going like "hey I'm so good", I'm just saying that people should treat each other with an equal amount of respect, regardless of where we come from and all. I mean look, when someone else is asked to take over for someone's shift, no one is this nervous and that appalled that I am willing to take a shift. Every judgment is predetermined by a status and social hierarchy already.

I think I need to spend some time with my old friends. Balance is key. I'm still muddled about it even after writing about it. I mean this whole thing is a problem amongst the Asian community. Filial Piety and respect. It's okay for an adult to yell at a kid but if a kid complains they're screwed.
Something like that. Double standards. That is going to be another post someday.

I'm going to play Sims 2 tonight and call it a day. This day cannot get any more butthurts than this. Thank god for dance tomorrow morning.

Peace (or praying for some),
Blaize.