Don’t Judge On Me

Don’t Judge On Me
By Josh Glazer

    People have the ability to almost instantaneously judge another person just by viewing them for a split second.  This was a necessary tool for early evolving groups of Homo Sapiens, who had to know whether a stranger was a friend or foe, as quickly as possible.  Those who were most able to judge the fastest were the ones more likely to survive (i.e. Natural Selection).

    Here in the 21st century, however, we have moved way past our early basic evolutionary survival needs.  We have language, literature, philosophy, science, culture, globalization – judging another person on the merits of a split second evolved reflex instinct is not ethically valid anymore.  It is simply not a luxury that a person can morally have –  to judge someone else without fully understanding that person.

    I will only give one example – myself.  I have noticed on Facebook, in this semi-anonymous virtual world, that people sometimes seem angry and hurtful for no apparent reason.  But I had an idea this morning.  It is possible, and this is just a theory, but maybe some people look at me and say, ‘Why is this person bitching about this or that?  They are white, tall, intelligent, etc.’  Some people may even envy these characteristics, and be existentially offended that I am dissatisfied, for whatever reason.  Solution: take out your anger on me by posting some obviously ridiculous offensive or meaningless garbage.

    This would be an erroneous judgment.  To begin with, I don’t think you can know another person fully without: 1) Living inside their head, which is impossible.  Or, 2) Totally understanding human psychology, biology, evolution, etc.  You would also need to talk to the person at length and take in all knowledge about them, as an individual.  Then, after you have acquired and analyzed all of that information, in the light of all the knowledge we have about human beings, the cosmos, life, etc.  Then, you can make a partially valid judgment.  But again, without “Walking in another’s shoes”, you can never make a totally valid decision regarding another person.

    People assume they know other people and themselves well enough that they can go around offending and harming people, taking out their own aggression on people they view as easy targets.  I know that I have been an easy target my whole life.  And people DO take out their anger and envy on me.  I have some news, though – Everyone is upset about something.  No one is totally happy.  Everyone wishes they were someone else or had some other feature that they don’t already have.  So I think one should reserve their judgment, and not take out their anger on other people from simple frustration with their own life.  You probably only know about 1% of the information you think you do.