tamashii no taki-bi
SimonSmith
Most humans are not deserving of respect. Those who disrespect me only deserve disrespect (possibly cruelty) in kind. The few who are worthy human beings deserve unending respect and kindness.
A little misanthropic, no? Just because you've always delt with assholes doesn't mean that the whole race is like them. Do unto others as they do unto you.
Lex talionis. If others do not respect me, I should not give them said respect. To give and expect in return is naive and stupid.
Also, I'm one of those assholes you're talking about. To the vast majority of humans, I'm one of the cruelest and most manipulative people you'll ever encounter because I view most humans as worthless tools to be used to achieve my ends. Only the few that I consider worthy actually matter to me. Everybody else is a stepping stone.