Yes, respect has to be earned ! But everyone deserves to be treated with a little respect until such time as they show that they don't deserve it. Just because we may have a different opinion or point of view on something doesn't mean that we should not respect that other person's POV.

People who are pretentious do not deserve respect (in my opinion), and certainly people who come on forums like this and pretend to be something they are not. They are not pretentious, they are liars! They deserve even less respect!

Personally, I see no point whatsoever in lying on a forum such as this. There are university teachers and TC dancing monkeys - right now, each has their place in the ESL 'world' in China.

I see no reason for a 'deecher' to try and pretend he/she is a university lecturer, and I see no reason for an academic to berate someone who admits to being a 'deecher'.

This whole argument could continue for decades without progressing any further..........

The only people to suffer are the students.