Hello there,
I really love your reply. I was anticipating, and actually hoping for, such a response - one that (very respectfully) points out some of the angles I missed and/or overlooked. I will say that I did think I may be casting too wide of a net in not pointing out the types of instances where "paying one's dues" can actually be socially and personally beneficial, and I do think they exist (you point to some good examples from your own life). Partly I chose not to cover this point because I am trying to be relatively brief in my posts (which is hard for me!). And to this end, I'm genuinely grateful that you added in some of what I had left out. Incidentally, this is a big part of what I love about Steemit, and I hope these and similar posts can continue to be seen as essentially collaborative efforts - not to be hokey.
One point you bring up that I definitely missed - that is, that I did not intentionally leave out - is the point about the 9-year-old, and how he should have shown me respect, not because I am older, but because I am a human being worthy of dignity and respect. I 100% agree with you here, and because I was looking at this through such a narrow lens, I did not even consider this! I was even patting myself on the back for what I saw as my more "mature" and "evolved" response. So thank you for bringing to my attention that I had overlooked that.
I'm glad that my thoughts gave you pause and an opportunity to reflect, as well as a chance to provide your unique perspective on the matter. Cheers!