What is admiration?

The etymology of the word admiration comes from the Latin admirari, which means ‘at wonder’.

You can admire a garden, or a beautiful sunset, as much as you can admire a person.

We also think of admiration to mean respect or warm approval.

It is a different sensation to love, but you can often admire people that you also love. Indeed, love, admiration and respect are often listed as a group of characteristics you might express about someone.

If you think of the root of the word, ‘wonder’ as in, with awe, you can see that the admiration comes first and then respect second.

You are in awe of a person’s character and then you respect them for their deeds and actions.

How to tell what qualities you admire?

Admirable qualities can vary from person to person, and they usually relate to your values, or what you deem as important in your own life. For example, one person may value a strong work ethic while another values the ability to enjoy life, and as a result, they might not admire the same people.

This explains why celebrities or politicians are admired by one group and loathed or derided by another. They embody a set of values that some people admire and others do not. The subject is not intrinsically any different.

Once you understand this, you realise that the objects of your respect or hatred are simply mirrors to reflect your own set of values…