Judging Others Does Not Define Them, It Defines You

Judging others is almost like a sport. But in a way, it is something we all do, even if it is unconscious.

We judge everything around us because we maintain a certain degree of control over things once we have assessed them.

“This is good, this is bad. I can trust this person, but it was better to stay away from it… ”

It is easy to fall into stereotypes and other clichés before we make an effort to get to know someone.

Obviously, not everyone is this way. Some people avoid judging others because they do not want to be judged themselves. We should all adopt this policy to create a more tolerant and harmonious society.

We invite you to reflect on this with us today.

Judging others: Avoid this double-edged sword

Just for today, do not judge. Just for today, look at the world without judging others and limit yourself to “being and not being”.

It would undoubtedly be good if everyone would try to practice this simple advice every day. Relationships would be more respectful and there would be less conflict.

Now the problem is that our social brain is governed by the need to make quick assessments of things and people.

It classifies all information and stimuli into categories which are then cross-referenced to our personality and past experiences.

• Here is an example. Say you went to college, and there was a professor there who treated you badly, and made your college a living hell. Today, however, you can remember his expression, face and voice, so that every time you meet someone with any of these qualities, you will project your rejection on them.
• Many of our past experiences and even aspects of our personality lead us to put people into categories based on ideas that do not always correspond to reality.

Therefore, the act of not judging when others make hasty judgments about us, above all, requires a good effort.

It forces us to control the “automatic” process that the brain uses to categorize everything we see from previous experiences.

Be smart: If you judge others, you also judge yourself

If you avoid having anything to do with your neighbors because they are a different race or belong to a different culture, every judgment you make about them, in reality, defines you. You will be defined as a narrow-minded racist.

The man who judges a woman because of her bra size also judges himself and his masculinity.

• Every time we judge others, we should try to explore it further with reflection training: Why do I think this? Why do I think this guy will try to rob me just because he has a tattoo and his pants are torn?
• Be smart, calm down, pull yourself together and try to look at things objectively until you are familiar with all the details and aspects to make a more accurate assessment. Never before.

Do not base your prejudices on clichés, base them on reality

We must make it clear that we all have the right to maintain and defend the judgments we make. However, they must be based on reality, not clichés.

When you know someone very well, you have wisdom that only experience can offer to decide whether you like them or not, or whether they meet your expectations.

Remember that those who base their prejudices on trivialities will miss out on some wonderful things in life.

If you judge your colleague as unfriendly because they are always alone, you may miss the opportunity to meet someone who is truly exceptional.

Judging a particular country or city as dirty, dangerous or overly progressive can hold you back from the best experiences of your life, just by refusing to visit the place. It could be a wonderful place if we could only afford to travel with an open mind without prejudice.

The best things, people, and events are often overlooked because our predetermined prejudices have misled us.

Only those with open minds and hearts can truly experience all the exciting things life has to offer.