I've also had it (or one facet of it) explained to me by a friend who knows such things as "a life system of interlinking obligations". Yes, that confused me, too, so I asked for clarification. The basic premise is that everything in life is dependant on everything else, people included. So therefore we have to show respect for everything else, for respecting others is respecting yourself. And the only true way to ever contravine this edict is to break this circle of obligations (taking without giving, etc) -- whereupon you will incur and deserve the wrath of all the others in the chain.