Ryan's Weekly Tip for Homeless, Mentally Ill and Addicted Patrons 11-21-17

From The Librarian's Guide to Homelessness, 10AM:

What did your parents teach you about respect:  When you meet a stranger, should you show them respect immediately or do they need to earn it? If you were raised in a middle class home, your parents probably taught you to automatically grant respect to strangers when you first meet them.  You can always withdraw that respect if it is warranted, but you start with it. Individuals who were raised in a culture of poverty were often taught the exact opposite.  They were taught that respect must be earned.  To show respect to someone who has not yet earned it is to be a “chump.” To show respect to someone who has not yet earned it is to be the dog that immediately rolls over when the larger alpha dog approaches.  It is a sign of submission to someone else’s dominance and superiority. Neither of these approaches is inherently right or wrong, but there is a lot of room for misunderstanding when these two cultures interact.  As a middle-class librarian, you expect to be treated according to middle-class mores, which includes being granted automatic respect.  When the new homeless patron does not show you respect automatically you probably view it as an attempt to be disrespectful.  It isn’t.  You simply have not earned his respect yet and if he grants you respect before you have earned it, he will feel inferior to you.

Have a great week! Peace, Ryan Ryan Dowd, Atty., MPA The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness www.homelesslibrary.com