Existential Antidotes for Building Respect for Others

 

1. "To be human is to err, and to forgive is to affirm shared existence."

-- Source: Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death ("To forgive is to lose the power of condemning, and to create the bond of love.")

• Appeal:
  Humanistic and Existential Appeal: Encourages forgiveness as a path to affirming the interconnectedness of human existence.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you see them not as static but as capable of redemption and growth.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person deserves condemnation" with "I respect the shared humanity that allows for forgiveness."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on someone you have condemned and find one way to extend compassion toward them.

2. "Each person must carry the weight of their own freedom."

-- Source: Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness ("Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does.")

• Appeal:
  Rational and Logical Appeal: Encourages understanding others’ actions as struggles with the burden of their own freedom.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you acknowledge the existential challenges they face in making choices.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions are inexcusable" with "I respect the difficulty of navigating one’s freedom."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on a time when you struggled with a choice and empathize with someone else’s struggles.

3. "Every person is a universe of possibilities, not a single act."

-- Source: Martin Heidegger, Being and Time ("Being is always a being-in-the-world, shaped by possibilities.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages seeing others as multifaceted beings shaped by their potential, not defined by a single act.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you focus on their capacity for growth rather than their mistakes.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is defined by their wrongs" with "I respect the possibilities that lie within this person."
• Actionable Component: Identify one positive possibility for someone you have judged harshly.

4. "To see another is to encounter a mystery."

-- Source: Gabriel Marcel, Being and Having ("Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be experienced.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages viewing others as mysteries worthy of exploration rather than judgments.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you approach them with curiosity instead of condemnation.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is an open book of flaws" with "I respect the mystery and depth of others."
• Actionable Component: Approach someone you find difficult with curiosity rather than judgment.

5. "No one has the right to judge another’s journey."

-- Source: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning ("Everyone has their own specific vocation or mission in life.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages recognizing that everyone is on a unique journey that deserves respect.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you acknowledge that you cannot fully understand their path.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s journey is invalid" with "I respect the uniqueness of every journey."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on how your own journey might look to others and extend the same understanding.

6. "The other is essential to defining ourselves."

-- Source: Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity ("The face of the Other calls you to responsibility.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing others as integral to our understanding of self and the world.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize the role they play in shaping your own existence.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions mean nothing to me" with "I respect the significance of others in my life."
• Actionable Component: Think of one way someone you’ve judged has contributed to your growth or understanding.

7. "To be is to be with others."

-- Source: Martin Buber, I and Thou ("All real living is meeting.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing interactions with others as opportunities for meaningful connection.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you view them as partners in the shared experience of existence.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person has no value to me" with "I respect the relational bond we share in existence."
• Actionable Component: Find one way to engage with someone you find challenging in a more meaningful way.

8. "Anger isolates; compassion connects."

-- Source: Albert Camus, The Plague ("To love is to remain lucid.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages choosing compassion as a way to overcome anger and build connection.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you choose connection over isolation.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person deserves my anger" with "I respect the connection that compassion can create."
• Actionable Component: Practice an act of kindness toward someone you are angry with.

9. "No one is wholly good or wholly bad; we are all becoming."

-- Source: Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling ("The self is a relation that relates itself to itself.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages recognizing that everyone is a work in progress.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you accept that they are capable of both good and bad, just like you.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is entirely bad" with "I respect the complexity of human nature."
• Actionable Component: Write down one way someone you’ve judged harshly has shown kindness or growth.

10. "To condemn others is to ignore our shared vulnerability."

-- Source: Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition ("Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages seeing others’ flaws as a reflection of shared human frailty.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize that everyone is vulnerable to making mistakes.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is irredeemable" with "I respect the shared vulnerability of being human."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on a mistake you’ve made and how it connects you to the person you’ve judged.

11. "To be truly free, one must release others from the chains of judgment."

-- Source: Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism ("Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages viewing forgiveness as a courageous act that frees both oneself and others.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize that clinging to judgment limits your own freedom.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is bound by my anger" with "I respect the freedom we both deserve."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on someone you are judging and choose one way to mentally release them from that judgment.

12. "True connection comes when we transcend the illusion of separateness."

-- Source: Martin Buber, I and Thou ("The world is not comprehensible, but it is embraceable.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing others as part of an interconnected whole, deserving of understanding.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you view them not as "the other," but as an integral part of shared existence.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is completely different from me" with "I respect our shared essence as beings."
• Actionable Component: Make an effort to find one shared value or experience with someone you have judged harshly.

13. "The other’s faults are mirrors of our own."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil ("Whenever you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages reflecting on how your judgment of others reflects inner struggles.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize that their perceived flaws may highlight something unresolved within yourself.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s flaws are intolerable" with "I respect the opportunity to grow through reflection on others."
• Actionable Component: Write down one trait in someone you dislike and explore how it may reflect a challenge in yourself.

14. "Respect begins with the acknowledgment of choice."

-- Source: Simone de Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity ("Freedom is the source from which all significations and all values spring.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages respecting others’ autonomy and the choices they make, even if you disagree.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you recognize their right to make choices that differ from your own.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must act as I expect" with "I respect their freedom to choose differently."
• Actionable Component: Acknowledge one decision someone made that you disagree with but respect their autonomy.

15. "You cannot truly understand another without walking in their shoes."

-- Source: Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus ("Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages fostering compassion by considering others’ lived experiences.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you attempt to understand their perspective rather than judging them.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions are inexcusable" with "I respect their experience and perspective."
• Actionable Component: Imagine a day in the life of the person you’re judging and reflect on the challenges they face.

16. "The most courageous act is to remain open to others."

-- Source: Rollo May, The Courage to Create ("Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages viewing openness to others as an act of bravery that fosters growth.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you remain open to their perspectives, even when it feels difficult.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s viewpoint is invalid" with "I respect the courage it takes to remain open."
• Actionable Component: Engage in a conversation with someone whose perspective differs from yours and listen without judgment.

17. "Anger is a veil that hides the humanity of others."

-- Source: Søren Kierkegaard, The Concept of Anxiety ("Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages releasing anger to see others more clearly and compassionately.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you let go of anger and focus on their shared humanity.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person deserves my wrath" with "I respect the humanity obscured by my anger."
• Actionable Component: Practice a breathing exercise to calm anger before addressing someone who has upset you.

18. "To respect others is to respect their struggle for meaning."

-- Source: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning ("What is to give light must endure burning.")

• Appeal:
  Resilience and Growth Appeal: Encourages recognizing that everyone is seeking meaning, even in their mistakes.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you understand that their actions may stem from a deeper search for purpose.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s mistakes define them" with "I respect their journey toward meaning."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on how someone’s actions, even negative ones, might reflect their search for meaning.

19. "Conflict is an opportunity for transformation."

-- Source: Martin Buber, I and Thou ("All true living is encounter.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages viewing disagreements as opportunities for growth and deeper connection.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you approach conflict as a chance to learn and connect rather than to condemn.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s conflict with me is destructive" with "I respect the opportunity to grow through this encounter."
• Actionable Component: Approach a conflict with curiosity rather than defensiveness, aiming to learn from the experience.

20. "Every person is an unfinished story."

-- Source: Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition ("Action is the only remedy to indifference.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages seeing others as dynamic beings capable of change and growth.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you recognize that their story is still being written, and mistakes are part of the process.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is beyond redemption" with "I respect the unfolding nature of their story."
• Actionable Component: Write down one way someone has positively changed over time, even if they’ve wronged you in the past.

21. "Respect means understanding that each person creates their own values."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science ("You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, it does not exist.")

• Appeal:
  Humanistic and Existential Appeal: Encourages appreciating the diversity of values and choices as unique to each individual.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you acknowledge their autonomy in determining their own values and meanings.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s values must align with mine" with "I respect their unique path of value creation."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on a value someone holds that you disagree with and try to understand its importance to them.

22. "To honor others is to recognize their freedom to act."

-- Source: Simone de Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity ("The freedom of others far from limiting my own freedom is, on the contrary, its necessary condition.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages embracing the freedom of others as integral to your own.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you see their freedom not as a threat, but as a complement to your own.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s freedom diminishes me" with "I respect their freedom as part of the fabric of our shared existence."
• Actionable Component: Identify one instance where someone’s freedom has helped you grow or understand something new.

23. "The path to respect is paved with the acknowledgment of imperfection."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra ("One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.")

• Appeal:
  Resilience and Growth Appeal: Encourages seeing imperfections in others as sources of growth and creativity.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you accept their flaws as natural and necessary parts of their being.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s imperfections diminish them" with "I respect the chaos that leads to growth."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one flaw in someone you judge and consider how it might contribute to their growth.

24. "Every encounter is a call to responsibility."

-- Source: Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity ("The face speaks to me and invites me to respond.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages seeing others as invitations to ethical engagement and responsibility.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you respond to their presence with responsibility rather than judgment.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s presence is a burden" with "I respect the ethical call they bring to my life."
• Actionable Component: Choose one interaction today where you can respond with responsibility instead of avoidance.

25. "To forgive is to reject the tyranny of the past."

-- Source: Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness ("Man is condemned to be free.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages forgiveness as an act of freedom that liberates both self and other.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you release the past and allow them the freedom to change and grow.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is defined by their past mistakes" with "I respect the possibility of their future."
• Actionable Component: Think of one person whose past actions you hold against them and choose to release that judgment.

26. "Conflict does not diminish; it reveals our shared humanity."

-- Source: Martin Buber, I and Thou ("True dialogue is not about winning; it is about meeting.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing conflict as an opportunity for meaningful connection and understanding.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you view disagreements as spaces for growth rather than division.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person opposes me" with "I respect the opportunity to connect through conflict."
• Actionable Component: Approach one disagreement with the intent to listen and connect rather than to win.

27. "The faults we see in others often reflect our own fears."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All Too Human ("He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages using the faults you perceive in others as mirrors for self-reflection.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize that your judgments may reveal more about you than about them.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s flaws are unbearable" with "I respect the self-awareness their flaws inspire in me."
• Actionable Component: Identify one criticism you have of someone and consider how it reflects your own fears or struggles.

28. "Each person is a singular expression of existence."

-- Source: Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex ("One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages seeing each individual as a unique and evolving expression of life.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you honor their individuality and their process of becoming.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must conform to my ideals" with "I respect their unique journey of becoming."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one way someone you judge harshly has demonstrated individuality or courage.

29. "Judgment is a wall; understanding is a bridge."

-- Source: Albert Camus, The Fall ("But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages replacing judgment with understanding as a way to connect with others.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you seek to understand their actions rather than condemn them.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person deserves judgment" with "I respect the bridge that understanding builds."
• Actionable Component: Write down one judgment you’ve made about someone and try to reframe it with understanding.

30. "No one can bear the weight of perfection."

-- Source: Søren Kierkegaard, Works of Love ("The demand for perfection is the law of despair.")

• Appeal:
  Resilience and Growth Appeal: Encourages recognizing the impossibility of perfection and offering grace instead.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you release them from the unrealistic expectation of perfection.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must be flawless" with "I respect the humanity that imperfection reveals."
• Actionable Component: Identify one expectation of perfection you hold for someone and consciously release it.

31. "Understanding others begins with understanding oneself."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, Ecce Homo ("He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages recognizing that your judgments of others are often reflections of your own struggles and values.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you reflect on your own reactions before judging their actions.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions are incomprehensible" with "I respect the insight into myself that this provides."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one judgment you’ve made about someone else and consider how it relates to your own experiences.

32. "Human relationships are an infinite responsibility."

-- Source: Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity ("The proximity of the other is the fundamental structure of ethical responsibility.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages viewing others as ethical obligations rather than mere obstacles or adversaries.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you treat each interaction as an opportunity to respond with care and responsibility.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is an obstacle to my peace" with "I respect the ethical obligation to respond to them."
• Actionable Component: Choose one person you struggle with and make an effort to treat them with ethical consideration.

33. "Anger divides; forgiveness unites."

-- Source: Søren Kierkegaard, Works of Love ("Love is the only power that can conquer anger.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages using forgiveness as a tool to reconnect with others and rebuild respect.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you let go of anger and seek understanding and unity.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions are unforgivable" with "I respect the power of forgiveness to heal relationships."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one person you are angry with and take one small step toward forgiving them.

34. "Each individual carries a unique burden."

-- Source: Simone de Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity ("Every man is the center of a world.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages recognizing that others’ behaviors may reflect unseen struggles and challenges.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you acknowledge that their actions may be influenced by burdens you cannot see.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person has no excuse for their behavior" with "I respect the unseen burdens they carry."
• Actionable Component: Practice empathy by imagining the unseen challenges someone might be facing.

35. "Respect others as fellow seekers of meaning."

-- Source: Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning ("Man is not destroyed by suffering; he is destroyed by suffering without meaning.")

• Appeal:
  Resilience and Growth Appeal: Encourages seeing others as fellow travelers on the path to understanding and purpose.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you view them as individuals striving to make sense of their lives, just like you.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s actions are senseless" with "I respect their search for meaning, even in error."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on how someone’s actions, even those you disagree with, might reflect their search for purpose.

36. "Harmony arises from embracing differences."

-- Source: Martin Buber, I and Thou ("Genuine dialogue is born of difference, not sameness.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages finding common ground through dialogue rather than demanding conformity.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you appreciate their differences as opportunities for meaningful connection.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must think like me" with "I respect the harmony that emerges from our differences."
• Actionable Component: Identify one way someone’s differing perspective has helped you grow or learn.

37. "Judging others is an act of hubris; understanding is an act of humility."

-- Source: Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals ("There are no facts, only interpretations.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages replacing judgment with humility and a willingness to understand.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you let go of the arrogance of judgment and seek to understand their perspective.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is wrong" with "I respect the humility it takes to understand their view."
• Actionable Component: Choose one judgment you’ve made about someone and replace it with an attempt to understand their perspective.

38. "Human dignity lies in our shared vulnerability."

-- Source: Emmanuel Levinas, Otherwise than Being ("To approach the Other is to put into question my freedom.")

• Appeal:
  Integrity and Moral Appeal: Encourages seeing vulnerability as a universal trait that unites all human beings.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you acknowledge their vulnerability as a reflection of your own.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s weakness is intolerable" with "I respect the dignity that our shared vulnerability brings."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one way someone’s vulnerability has mirrored your own humanity.

39. "To respect others is to celebrate their potential."

-- Source: Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus ("The struggle itself...is enough to fill a man’s heart.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages seeing others’ struggles as signs of their potential for growth and resilience.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you focus on their capacity for growth rather than their mistakes.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s flaws define them" with "I respect their potential for resilience and change."
• Actionable Component: Identify one way someone has shown growth despite their struggles and acknowledge it.

40. "To recognize another is to embrace their becoming."

-- Source: Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism ("Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself.")

• Appeal:
  Heroic and Aspirational Appeal: Encourages respecting others as dynamic beings constantly shaping themselves.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you see them as active creators of their own essence rather than fixed entities.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must already meet my standards" with "I respect their freedom to become."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one person you judge harshly and consider how they are in the process of change.

41. "True respect acknowledges the unknown in others."

-- Source: Martin Heidegger, Being and Time ("Every encounter with another person is an encounter with their world.")

• Appeal:
  Mindfulness and Introspection Appeal: Encourages respecting the depth of each individual’s lived experience.
• Analysis: Respect for others grows when you recognize that their world is as rich and complex as your own.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is easy to categorize" with "I respect the depth of their personal world."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one person’s actions you don’t understand and try to consider the broader context of their life.

42. "Every act is an expression of freedom, even when it errs."

-- Source: Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness ("Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.")

• Appeal:
  Resilience and Growth Appeal: Encourages seeing others’ actions as expressions of their freedom, even when flawed.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you honor their freedom, even in moments of imperfection.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person’s mistake defines them" with "I respect their freedom to act and learn."
• Actionable Component: Identify one mistake someone has made that you judge harshly and reconsider it as part of their growth.

43. "Each person is a project in progress."

-- Source: Simone de Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity ("Life is ambiguous, and the human project is never complete.")

• Appeal:
  Humanistic and Existential Appeal: Encourages seeing others as works in progress rather than finished products.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you appreciate their ongoing effort to navigate the complexities of existence.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must already be complete" with "I respect the ambiguity of their journey."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one person’s actions you judge and consider how they are evolving through their experiences.

44. "To exist is to stand in relation to others."

-- Source: Emmanuel Levinas, Ethics and Infinity ("The very meaning of being is derived from the presence of the Other.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing others as essential to your own existence and understanding of the world.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you recognize their role in shaping your own identity and values.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person is separate from me" with "I respect the way they contribute to my existence."
• Actionable Component: Identify one person whose presence has challenged or shaped your understanding of yourself and acknowledge their impact.

46. "Every individual is a singular universe."

-- Source: Albert Camus, The Rebel ("Every rebellion implies some kind of unity, but also the recognition of the singularity of each person.")

• Appeal:
  Relational and Empathy Appeal: Encourages seeing each person as a unique and irreplaceable expression of humanity.
• Analysis: Respect for others strengthens when you honor their individuality as essential to the tapestry of existence.
• Language Sensitivity: Replace "This person must fit my mold" with "I respect their singular place in the world."
• Actionable Component: Reflect on one individual you find difficult to understand and appreciate their uniqueness without judgment.