Judging “Judgment”
Every day is judgment day. It’s only natural to judge the people and circumstances that we encounter in our lives. Our brains constantly process information and make decisions. We gather data, form assumptions, and then act on those assumptions. While this may sound perfectly logical, our judgments are probably not as accurate as we think.
Most of our judgments arise from our core beliefs, which are integrated into our subconscious minds and trigger automatic reactions. These beliefs result from direct experience and from things we have been told. Many of our most steadfast core beliefs were hatched during childhood, when we were highly impressionable and required to make assumptions based upon limited experience. Our core belief system then becomes our “lens” to the world.
Since our beliefs are based upon our personal histories, they are highly subjective, yet we readily project them onto others. We do this because we subconsciously assume that what is true for us is fundamentally true. Truth, however, is not absolute. What is true for you may not be true for another and vice versa.
If you had several people walk into a courtyard from several different entrances, each person would have different view of the same setting. There isn’t any one person who would have the “correct” view. There will always be multiple perspectives on any given matter.
Our perceptions have other flaws as well. Since our core beliefs come from the past, and none of us have had a perfect past, those beliefs may be greatly distorted. Like a faulty lens, our belief system can cloud our senses to the extent that we can never really see another person for who they truly are.
October 9th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Very interesting. Lots of food for thought. For many people, I think the judgments are so automatic that they don’t even realize they are doing it. Well at least I know that can be true for me.
December 24th, 2010 at 5:32 am
Personal Judgements and “do the right thing” go hand-in-hand. Often, people make their judgements and say “do the right thing”. How funny that is! The right thing is only right in your mind. It is ONLY your opinion. What is right for you may not be right for me and those opinions should not be pushed on me.
You do the right thing based on the particular circumstance AND your past experiences with a similar situation or personal interaction OR your core beliefs and convictions.
Hoe self righteous and pious people are when they make their judgements, voice their opinions in an effort to guilt another into their way of living life.
MY opinion, of course.
September 1st, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Interesting post. Thank you!