In American culture, I am noticing a lack of respect, especially among children. This should be treated1 since disrespectful children will become disrespectful teenagers, and then disrespectful adults. American culture is2 the ways of teaching respect, while other cultures have methods that Americans could learn from.
In 1995, I spent a couple of months in Kenya where I lived with a pastor's family. This pastor was a part of the Maasai tribes that have some unique customs. One of them is the 3 that the children give the adults. When an adult approaches a Maasai child, the child will4 and tilt their head slightly saying "Suppa". The adult responses by saying "Ippa" touching the top of their heads. This simple act shows respect for the adult. The children 5 that they are their elder and that the adult deserves respect.
In my early 20's, I worked at a children's home in South Carolina where the children from 4 to 19 years old were taught to respect their elders. They 6 me as "Mr. Vince" and every adult worker there with a "Mr, Mrs, or Ms.". However, as I counsel and talk to teachers and other professionals who work with children now, there seems to be a 7 in such as friendly behavior that children give adults. Fewer students treat teachers with respect: Children frequently talk back to their teachers, parents or seniors, interrupt conversations, and disregard their 8 . Children casually speak with other adults like waiters, store clerks, postmen, cashiers, etc. in the way as if they are children's 9 .
Immanuel Kant expressed two 10 attitudes in Europe that are still dominant today. One is that only humans are persons because they have autonomy—they freely choose to act on principles by 11 laws on themselves, and not on desires. It is this mind based on 12 that gives humans special status. Second, to learn to follow principles instead of desires, a human child needs to learn 13 to the laws of adults. They must practice 14 regulation before they are able to practice autonomy. Kant said that "act in the way you want others to act in the situation, taking other people as persons, not 15 you use for your own goals". Only in this way can you become a real person with intrinsic values.
