Craving The Dignity Of Being Acknowledged

We all want it. We should never take it for granted. And we should always fight those who take it from others.

Photo by Matt Collamer

There are very few actions crueler than depriving someone of their dignity.

Dignity is often what those set to torment others aim at. From totalitarian leaders to paramilitary organisations, evil always targets dignity, for it is the lack of dignity that will blow the blood-stained flag of their victory. Dignity is the weakness of any human.

Dignity is the right to be acknowledged, respected, accepted. It is confirmation that our existence is noticed, welcome and appreciated.

However, we don’t need to go to the brutality of war and dictatorships to find dignity being trampled. It happens whenever we don’t care about someone’s opinions or feelings, when we ignore someone’s presence, when we make fun of or laugh at a fellow human, when we lie and when we deceive and when we take advantage.

The opposite is also true: there is dignity everywhere. Something magical happens when we look someone in the eye and tell them, ‘I see you’. The best thing is we don’t even need to look for an opportunity. Everyone craves acknowledgement, and we can all acknowledge.

Continuing with our revolution of the small actions, who will you acknowledge today that you wouldn’t think to normally?