Acharya Prashant explains that the word 'respect' originates from the root 'spect', meaning 'to see', and 'respect' literally means 'to see again' or to look with deep attention. However, the modern understanding of respect has deviated significantly from this original meaning, turning into a form of blind adherence to social norms, habits, and ego-driven pride. He points out that when we label someone or something as 'respectable', we often stop looking at them with attention and understanding. This leads to a state where we worship scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita instead of reading and understanding them, or where children cannot truly understand their parents because they are placed on a pedestal of respectability.