Literally, respect means “to look back.” It stands for consideration and caution. Respectful interaction with others involves refraining from curious staring. Respect presupposes a distanced look—the pathos of distance. Today, it is yielding to the obtrusive staring of spectacle. The Latin verb spectare, from which spectacle derives, is voyeuristic gazing that lacks deferential consideration—that is, respect (respectare). Distance is what makes respectare different from spectare. A society without respect, without the pathos of distance, paves the way for the society of scandal.
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Byung Chul Han: In the Swarm
Literally, respect means “to look back.” It stands for consideration and caution. Respectful interaction with others involves refraining from curious staring. Respect presupposes a distanced look—the pathos of distance. Today, it is yielding to the obtrusive staring of spectacle. The Latin verb spectare, from which spectacle derives, is voyeuristic gazing that lacks deferential consideration—that is, respect (respectare). Distance is what makes respectare different from spectare. A society without respect, without the pathos of distance, paves the way for the society of scandal.
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