People are judgemental. It's the truth of society. We all do it. If you think you don't, you're wrong. That being said, it's rather problematic to judge people. It's rude, it's ostracizing, and a lot of the time, we judge people for something that doesn't hurt as all. We just do it because we believe that things in our world should always be a certain way. However, if we can acknowledge that our judgements are unfounded and unproductive, we can live kinder lives. Less people will be hurt by others words. The world would be a better place. Here are 10 things to stop judging people about.
1. How they present themselves.
Whether a person has makeup caked on or has no makeup on at all, is wearing nice clothing or a pair of old sweatpants, has a body covered in tattoos or a has blank canvas, has decided that hair is meant to be fun colors or has decided to rock the natural look, how a person presents themselves is up to them. Who are we to judge? We all have different tastes and different comfort zones. Plus, do other people's appearance really hurt you at all?
2. How much they weigh.
I am so grateful that the #bodypositivity movement has reduced judgement, but just in case you forgot; bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and they are all beautiful. People forget that there are many factors that play into weight. Genetics, mental health, diseases, and disabilities can all affect weight. Remember that next time you think a person needs to lose a few pounds.
Of course it is important for people to be healthy, but it's also important to not draw conclusions about people, and to let people take their health into their own hands.
3. Who they vote for.
Implicit bias is hard to avoid when your society is hammering into your head from childhood, but seriously... just try to remember we're all people.
8. How much education they have.
Some people are more inclined to lead a scholarly life. Some people are done when they're done with high school. Some people struggle to finish high school because their brain just doesn't work with the public school system. This is all perfectly understandable. Brains work differently with different subjects, and a lot of how the public school system teaches is problematic for certain ways of thinking. I once did a project where I learned that males, in general, have a harder time with public schooling than females because they find it more difficult to sit and listen for long periods of time.
Do not assume that someone with a lower level of education is lazy, although if you're bad at school out of laziness as opposed to your ability to comprehend the material, that's a slightly different situation. My point is that people are different, and an ability to sit and memorize information out of a textbook does not dictate your intelligence. It just makes you a better student. Plus, college is massively expensive, and not everyone is privileged enough to get to go.
9. How much money they make.
Poverty is not easy to get out of. Sean Hargreaves of CNN reported in 2013 that 70% of people born into poverty remain in poverty, 26% become part of the middle class, and 4% of them become high earners (CNN 2013). This clearly shows that the status you are born into can have a huge effect on the amount of money you make later in life. Plus, when you're born into poverty, you may live in a low income neighborhood, meaning being taught in low income schools that do not provide much job opportunity. One may drop out of high school to start supporting the family early, which stanches the chance of progression later on. Many high earning jobs require getting a college degree, which is really hard when you don't have much money to begin with. Additionally, many high paying jobs require a lot of time and effort, which isn't all that appealing. Many people- myself included- would much rather spend their life having a good time than working. I do not need to be rich. I just need to live comfortably to be happy.
10. How much sex they have.
Sex is a complicated issue in our society. It involves aspects of morality, religion, sexual orientation, and health. However, sex is fun. We all know it is, even if you haven't had sex before. So why judge people for having fun? Why does our society slut shame so much? Some people like to have a lot of sex with a lot of different partners, and as long as their being safe, I don't see a problem with that. Let people feel good. And if you're a person who believes in post-marital, monogamous sex only, then that's the type of sex you should have. Don't let societal pressures or my opinion deter you. No matter the situation, it is not anyone's business how much sex any given person has. Have all the sex you want. Have no sex if you want. Just take care of yourself in the process.
Citations
“New Reports Shows 70% of Those Born Poor Stay Poor - Economy.” N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2016.
