Well I think that's a good mid-level answer. I think the next level up is "we want to not be dependent on getting respect from others" -- i.e. we want to be the source of our own wholeness. Interimly, we look to others to reflect ourselves -- to know who we are. Ultimately, we need a ground of being which is unconditional... independent of opinions and judgments of either others OR ourselves. An ABSOLUTE ground on which to stand, which leaves no uncertainty when we ask "who am I?" Seeking respect from others really dramatizes our inability to locate this ground for ourselves. That's why it's an interim level of development, not the end game.

Respect is what all of us should want but there unfortunately are some who are willing to compromise that idea for other things which are far less important. Just look at all the men and women who keep going from one bad relationship to another. If they truly wanted respect they would compromise other things which they are putting a higher priority on. For example women who put a very high value on physical appearances. A man can treat them like dirt walk all over them cheat on them beat them and just in general abuse them and they don't seem to care why because he's so dammned hot and sexy that they overlok the fact that he is a total ass and not a good mate for them. Before I get slammed for this I am not saying that all men who are physically attractive are assholes who treat women like shit. I do realize there are alot of attractive men out there who love and respect their women. All I am doing is proving a point that the ones who are like that get away with it because women are willing to compromise respect loive kindness and caring for hot looks. Again so I don't get slammed Not all women are like this and of the ones who are I agree some have very serious self esteem issues and feel they don't deserve to be treated better. All I am saying is there are those who do put such a high priority on how hot and sexy their mate is that they are willing to make compromises in other areas and overlook how they are treated just for the sake of having someone hot for their b/f or husband. So basically in a nutshell while all of us should want to be respected there are those of us who are willing to sacrafice respect for other wualities of much more importance to us.

nothing says love like R.E.S.P.E.C.T....(yes it does)

No. Men want respect, women want love. Go to the Hallmark store and find one card to a woman that says in any way, I respect you. You won't find it. We all need love and respect but men need to feel respected more than they need to feel loved, and women need to feel loved more than they need to feel respected. If a woman feels loved she'll also feel respected. Men show us respect by loving us. Women love men by showing them they respect them.