6.1 Human judgment

Is it possible to perceive others without in some way judging or categorizing them? If so, how? If not, how can we make the judgments we do make more fair?

In my view, it is not possible to perceive others without in some way judging (aloud or mentally) or categorizing them because judging is somehow embedded in human nature. The way one speaks or remain silent, dresses up, walks, eats, smiles and so forth, sends out messages that others perceive in a positive or negative way.

Although we can not help it, but judge others, we still can make more fair judgments by taking context in consideration and putting ourselves in other people’s shoes. More fair judgments would be made if people looked at the context before judging. Things not always are what we see on the surface. Also, asking ourselves how we would feel if the same judgment was projected on is another way to make more fair judgments. Nobody likes to be judged. So, imagining that we could become victims of unfair judgments makes us more reasonable and compassionate with others.

The illustration displayed on page 45 of the textbook encouraged me to imagine that both parties – the man and the woman can be right or wrong. In this illustration, the woman "appears" to be yelling at the man sitting next to her. The first thought I had when I saw this picture was to feel sorry for the woman, who is trying to communicate with a guy who cares only about his own newspaper. But when I put myself in this man’s shoes, I started thinking that maybe he is covering himself up with the newspaper because he is tired of listening to this woman complaining and yelling at him all the time, regardless of what he does to please her.

Ibirapuera