Hi Fuzzybear,
I've avoided answering this question because I want to say it's more important to me to be liked but everyone else is saying it's more important to be respected and that makes me feel like there's something wrong with me.
Here's why I choose to be liked more important then to be respected...
I would give up my seat for someone I respected but I wouldn't give up my seat AND give them a glass of lemonade to drink unless I liked them (whether or not I respected the liked person).
I would smile to be polite for a person I respected but I would never smile just to be polite to someone I liked.
I wouldn't neccessarily hug someone I respected but I'd definetly give a hug to someone I liked.
And there are a lot more examples of this.
Respect warrents a given kind of behavior that can be done sometimes just simply out of fear. I would rather someone act on these behaviors out of love.
Think of your boss or a police officer or a parent. You HAVE to respect these people. But you don't really have to like them.
Also, respect does not induce loyalty whereas genuine admiration and caring would.
Respect can also be given in a cold way. Like I respect my one sister because of her accomplishments but I'll stay at a cool distance from her. Whereas another sister I don't really respect some of her choices in life but I'd be there for her in a nano second if she needed me.
So, I have to say that I'd rather be liked.