Skip to main content

Judging others

 We humans seem to delight in judging one another, usually unfavorably, usually compared to some unrealistic ideal or standard. 

At the same time, when we're judged, we're quick to remind those judging that no one is perfect, That we're "only human".

I do believe that there are times when it's absolutely appropriate to judge another person, but we need to be realistic about the grounds on which we're judging.

It is asinine to judge anyone based on factors over which they had no control. I feel safe in saying that no one in history has ever been able to determine before birth:

  • Their nationality
  • Their gender
  • Their skin color
  • Their appearance
  • Their preferences
  • Their degree of able-bodyness 
To judge anyone on factors that they were born with is bigoted, racist, sexist, and irrational. No one should be judged on how nature made them. 

hands pointing at woman in judgement


It is fair and reasonable, however, to judge others on their character, what they've made of the themselves with the tools nature gave them.

Are they kind? Are they empathetic? Do they have a sense of humor? Are they humble? Do they enjoy music and animal companionship. Are they mindful of others? Do they give of themselves? Do they love themselves? Do the accept themselves? Do they respect their friends and family?

These are some of the standards I have for others, what I judge them on. If they aren't up to my standards I won't associate with them. I won't stone them, I won't insist they be banished from society, I won't wish them ill. I will simply avoid them as much as possible. Life is too short for me to go on vendettas against those I judge as lacking in character. Besides, I probably don't know enough about their backstory to understand why they've chosen to be the way they are. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Advice

For many years I’ve refused to give advice. What’s worked in my unique life may not work in someone else’s. Besides, they often don’t listen anyway, or they do, the advice doesn’t work, and they resent you.  But lately I’ve been seeing people who are down on themselves, being subjected to the bigoted or ignorant comments of others. I feel an urge to reach out, to offer aid and comfort. That’s why I got ordained, to minister. Not with religion but with support and acceptance. So that’s my mission now. To encourage those who are down to ignore the opinions of others and to find their unique inner strength and beauty. If I can help one person become happy with themselves and inspire them to find the value of themselves, I will consider my life well spent.
Post a Comment
Read more

Skepticism and critical thinking

  Skepticism is a philosophical approach that emphasizes the importance of questioning beliefs, ideas, and claims before accepting them as true. It involves maintaining a critical attitude toward information, evidence, and arguments, rather than simply accepting them at face value. Skepticism encourages individuals to demand evidence and to scrutinize the reasoning behind assertions, with the goal of distinguishing between reliable knowledge and unfounded beliefs or falsehoods. This approach fosters intellectual humility and encourages a healthy skepticism toward authority, tradition, and popular opinion, promoting a more thoughtful and evidence-based understanding of the world. Critical thinking is a cognitive skillset and mindset that enables individuals to analyze, evaluate, and interpret information in a logical and rational manner. It involves actively engaging with ideas and evidence, considering different perspectives, and applying reasoning to assess the validity and reliabilit
Post a Comment
Read more

Live Your Life

  We have, at best, 80 to 90 years on this planet. That may seem like a lot when you’re 20. When you’re 70 you wonder how all that time passed so quickly.  To make the most of those years we need to be ourselves, speak honestly, live our own lives. If we allow others to define us or if we live to please others, we cheat ourselves.  We don’t get a second chance. No do-overs. At the end of our lives we can look back with regret or satisfaction. Living to satisfy our own standards will give us satisfaction. Letting others dictate our lives will bring regret.  We should not only strive to avoid our own suffering but the suffering of others as well. Empathy and compassion are the hallmarks of a satisfied life. We should want the best possible life for everyone.  We are members of a single race, the human race, and every human is as deserving of a good life as the next.  None of us can fully control what happens around us, but we can control our response to it. Self-control is a valuable ass
Post a Comment
Read more