The Invisible Ledger of Respect

How silent disregard in the digital age reveals the true balance of knowledge and humility in our community.

I’ve been reflecting on the nature of respect and knowledge in our community, especially in social media spaces. It seems respect for teachers or those who share wisdom often only becomes visible when it’s impossible to hide disrespect — when social contracts demand it, or when humility is genuine and falls naturally. But in online spaces, this respect can become invisible, silent, or superficial. Yet, make no mistake: it is seen. Even if unspoken, it leaves an imprint.

This behavior reveals something deeper about how we engage with knowledge and those who offer it. True respect isn’t just about public acknowledgment or social standing; it’s about the invisible debts and credits we hold toward each other in the pursuit of growth. When these are ignored or treated lightly, it fractures the very foundation of learning and community.

So, while many may read without reacting, the absence of response is not absence of awareness. There are consequences to this silence — not just for the individual but for the collective. It’s a quiet reckoning of what it means to truly honor knowledge and those who share it.