Why Respect is in the deck
Respect is a word that teams, classrooms and families all ask for, and often mean different things by. That makes it a useful card when a group mixes ages or roles: a manager and a new hire, a teacher and students, grandparents and grandkids.
How people read it differently
A widely shared Tumblr post names the split well. Some people use “respect” to mean treating someone as a person. Others use it to mean treating someone as an authority. The trouble starts when one side says “I’ll respect you if you respect me” and the two people mean different halves of the word (Tumblr).
Age adds another layer. An essay from Nigeria asks whether greeting elders is a duty or a choice, as a younger generation works out what it owes to older people (essay). In one reading respect is owed to age. In the other, it’s earned.
At work, the split can show up in small things, like who speaks first in a meeting or who gets called by a first name.
The other side: Blanket
On the back is a Blanket, the classic comfort object. A blanket or soft toy that eases a child’s separation from a parent is common, though how common varies by culture (Wikipedia). The Blanket side can bring a story of being small, sick or cared for.
The pairing was random. Respect and Blanket share a card without needing to share a story.
How to play this card
Draw the card. Choose a side: Respect or Blanket. Roll the die. Look at the word from that side.
The die’s faces: MEMORIES, BODY, PEOPLE, VALUES, CHILDHOOD, FUTURE. Say as much or as little as feels right.
“Every view is welcome, especially one that differs from yours.” That line from the rule card matters on this one. The others ask what they’re curious about: What did that feel like? Who else was there? Has it always meant that to you?
Related words
Boundaries, Kindness and Gratitude are in the same Relationships cluster. Draw a card in the free online game, or see the deck and the research.