For decades, a lot of people have constantly been judging others without thinking. They see an old lady carrying a heap of grocery bags and no one helping her, they judge. Someone doesn’t know how to ride a bike or drive a car, they judge. A 45-year old man doesn’t seem to have life figured out, they judge. People just don’t think before they judge.
Almost everyone loves feeling special or unique, yet each person seems to uniquely judge others based on their personal standards and beliefs. They also judge based on what other members of society believe they should be doing at any point. On the contrary, this symbolizes that they may not be as unique as they think they are.
Think before you Judge
There’s a popular saying that has been attributed to social activist and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She said, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” The more you think about it, the more you realize the saying makes sense.
It’s simple: people who are highest of mind focus more on solutions and things they can control (ideas); those who are lesser of mind focus more on what other others can control and how they live their lives, which only brings forth more problems (people); and everyone else is in the middle. The fact is you receive nothing tangible from judging the things others do, yet people continue to do it. But this can be taken even further.
Judging being socially acceptable
So you make fun of or turn up your nose at someone because they do something or do not do something as well as you think they should. Then what? Do you feel good about yourself? Have you accomplished anything? Better yet, have you accomplished everything? “Everyone is supposed to know how to read and write, walk and talk,” is the way many see the world.
However, there are many people who unfortunately for whatever reason cannot do any of the aforesaid things. Why is it socially acceptable to be sympathetic to those people but unsympathetic to those who fall under another category? For example, those who do not know how to cook, swim, chop wood, sew, dress, be a man or or act like a lady. Judging based on the latter two alone can instantly create strings of additional problems on their own. Quite frankly, the reason people judge so much is because they are not thinking for themselves or not thinking hard enough.
Start by judging yourself
People can chalk up their judgmental nature to anything they like. Whether it be due to legal, religious, cultural or societal reasons, judging still does not change the reality that in most cases people’s thoughts won’t create anything but more problems. At least in cases where a magistrate judges people based on facts presented or when God judges sinners there is aim for justice or progression to occur; all in all, the judgment is a means to an end.
Most of us are not judges and none of us are God, and both of these entities still judge sparingly. So who are we to judge anyone daily? If you really want someone to judge then start with yourself. Start judging all the areas you’re not great at or perfect and then recognizing where you need help. Only then can you really understand why in most cases judging is pointless and why helping is almost always a more progressive way to go.
