Oct 26th, 2026

Just a Thought – The Role of Dignity 

“So many roads, so much at stake

Too many dead ends, I’m at the edge of the lake

Sometimes I wonder what it’s going to take

To find dignity”

– Bob Dylan

The word ‘dignity’ comes from the Latin ‘dignitas’. It’s a small now old-fashioned word which carries a big meaning and in many ways it’s easier to describe what we all intuitively know it to contextually mean. Acting ‘with dignity’ means behaving in an upright honourable calm and decent way that shows both self-respect and respect of the worth of others – especially when faced with difficult situations. Dignity is not the same as ‘respect’ but they are first cousins holding hands….

“ All I’m askin’ for is a little respect when you come home”

– Otis Redding

As a child I was brought up in Cape Town (now too many years ago!) under the shadow of Table Mountain and in plain daily sight of Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 of the 27 years that he spent in prison. A man who, despite all, retained his dignity – and consequently the respect of the world – by refusing to become embittered. In his words:

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies“.

And he understood as much as anyone that the spoken word is a major part of dignity….

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”

– Rudyard Kipling

When we act without dignity we breach the human rights of others. Simply being a fellow human being means we are worthy of the respect of others. How much worse – and more dangerous – is it then, that many of those in power today seem either unwilling or incapable of acting in a manner befitting not only their office, but proper dignified human conduct.

“The measure of a man is what he does with power.”

– Plato

In our relatively new world of instant mass communication, whether personal or political, private or public, we really need to take a moment and give real thought to what we are all saying and how we are all saying it. Because it seems to me right now that there is a real race to the bottom of rubbishing those who are, for whatever reason, ‘outside our tent’. And so over time we are eroding the decency and the dignity that should be holding our world together.

“ Soul, I hear you calling

Oh baby, please, give a little respect to me.”

– Andrew Bell/Andy Bell/Vince Clarke

Love & peace

The Just Music team xx