Mutual Respect

Mutual respect is impossible when 2 or more parties don't look at each other equally. Otherwise, it will be either one side be egoistic, while another one will be ridiculed. Either ways.

Just to type this out to express how bemused I was today on this fact. It's about the presentation today, and I was glad that we went through that hell which was approximately 30 minutes long. And it indeed felt like an hour long due to that sessions. 

I admit. We didn't really prepare well for the presentation. But what ridiculed me was the Q&A session with strangers whom we didn't know.

Well, it's like this. There were 1 or 2 guys who were trying to start a debate against us. And of course, when the interaction started, the atmosphere was awkward between both sides while we are anticipating questions and answers from each other. While anticipating their questions, I realized that they were paraphrasing their sentences to challenge our stand, while they were students at the same time. Well, it's a really ridiculous and annoying way to gain attention in this way. 

"Well, he paraphrases them so that he will get the question that he wants," well said to my classmate during the post-mortem teamtalk given by my lecturer. 

It's hard to tell his attitude based on his American English accent, but his tone sounded arrogant, condescending and demoralizing, as if he is an attention seeker among the crowd. 

But anyway, the past is the past. What I observed here is one of the symptoms of how screwed up a materialized society is.

A materialized society is all about competition and self-centered mentalities. We were told to compete for resources and to be the breadwinner of our family when we work. While our religions and families taught us about the good values on how should we behave, we tend not to regard them into our first priority because we WANT MORE. And thus, you gain that attitude of greed. Greed that makes you to compete more, and make you feel better if you just win over somebody - that neglects other humans' well- beings for their own self-purpose.

Yes, I accept constructive criticisms for self-improving purposes. But condescending behaviors like this? No. 

What's the point of people to ridicule presenters with unnecessary questions when the topic they presented doesn't affect you much? I would rather ask questions in a talk that is related to our social living because the social concern is still there. After all, we are students. Why not practice the mentality of symbiosis to collaborate and achieve, instead of being an egoistic biatch seeking for attention, to tell others that you are smart and elegant (though I know that they are encouraged to ask questions, but it is immoral to do that to others).

Confucius, The Bible, The Quran and even The Torah  mentioned this universal philosophy. 

"Do unto others on what you want others to do unto you."

We are one human race. We were born the same way and we are all students, all wanting to be successful one day. It's better for us to learn from one another, and compete in a healthier way. THAT's MUTUAL RESPECT.

Still, the world has to change our modern busy, and stressful way of life. I believe all of us want a positive change, right?