“He who does not respect himself cannot be respected by others.”Nicolae Iorga · Cugetări · 1911 · secțiunea VI
Self-respect is the foundation without which the respect of others cannot exist.
Iorga emphasizes that external respect mirrors internal respect. If you don't value yourself, set boundaries, and defend your dignity, others will sense this and treat you accordingly. An employee who constantly accepts humiliation without protest won't be respected by bosses, but exploited. Self-respect is earned through integrity and consistency.
Why it matters It teaches us that to be treated fairly by others, we must first treat ourselves fairly.