These statements (#MaC) form part of the Morality as Cooperation Quiz

What is morality? Where does it come from, and how does it work? And how and why do moral values vary, between individuals, and across cultures?

The theory of ‘morality as cooperation’ (MAC) argues that morality is best understood as a collection of biological and cultural solutions to the problems of cooperation recurrent in human social life. MAC draws on evolutionary game theory to argue that, because there are many types of cooperation, there will be many types of morality.

These include: family values, group loyalty, reciprocity, heroism, deference, fairness and property rights. Previous research suggests that these seven types of morality are evolutionarily-ancient, psychologically-distinct, and cross-culturally universal.

Take the Quiz to work out what your particular mix looks like.

TL;DR - Respect is not something that can be blindly expected.

This idea that we should blindly respect our elders by reason of their being older is a bizarre concept. Respect is a two-way street, meaning that for respect to be given, it first has to be earned. Now, there is an important distinction between being polite to someone and respecting them. Politeness is something that should be a given when interacting with anyone. There is never a reason to be gratuitously rude to someone.

Respect, however, connotes a sentiment of admiration for someone's abilities, qualities or achievements. Accordingly, respect is not something that can just be expected from someone of any age. Just because someone is older does not mean that their views and achievements deserve respect. Much like beauty, respect is in the eye of the beholder. In fine, having respect for someone speaks to a high regard for someone whereas politeness is a general civility to people you interact with. The latter is owed to everyone out of common decency. The former has to be earned.

I would argue all people deserve some level of respect, but see no firm reason to afford someone additional respect according to how long they've existed.

Respect goes both ways. I'll respect an elder but if they don't return that respect then I won't return that respect. An eye for an eye

The reason I am against is not because elderly people don't deserve respect, but that they don't deserve more respect on the basis that they are elderly.

Respect is earned and people forget that too easily. I've met too many elderly people that feel entitled to be treated better than most people because they are older and they have been downright rude. I have worked in customer service and I can tell you that they are the rudest demographic. It it my belief that everyone deserves your respect until they prove otherwise.