On Judgement……..
I am not saying don’t judge, I am merely suggesting that we STOP, LOOK and LISTEN and then if we judge, do it responsibly…
Dictionary Description of Judgement
“Judgement - the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions”
sound judgement, sound judgment, perspicacity, judgment trait - a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
objectiveness, objectivity - judgment based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices
subjectiveness, subjectivity - judgment based on individual personal impressions and feelings and opinions rather than external facts”
Judgement has been a big “THEME” in my life and I have gone off on tangents talking about it. I have been subjected to this from my first childhood memory. What follows judgement is normally rejection, but this is a topic for another write.
My affair with judgement has been on my part very understood but for a long time I did not have context around it, so I went and looked, at the true meaning of judgement and around that I went and researched why people do what they do.
I don’t think I will ever lose the feelings that unfair judgement wakes up in me, not just against me, against anybody, but I have a greater understanding of why people do it and hence, I can now stop, look and listen and act in the most appropriate way most of the time.
Off late, I have encountered and read harsh, harsh judgements against people on Facebook and in some blogs. I seriously had to bite my tongue not to snap out and fire off some strong worded responses. But I do want to use this little piece to wake up awareness with people in this area, so please humour me and connect with what I am trying to bring across.
What we say / do / think should be with due consideration, in context and with deep respect. It is irresponsible to fly off the handle and judge others or reject them on the basis of opinion void of fact, understanding for the person’s circumstances, getting in the helicopter to look at the full landscape. Yes, of course it is human nature and it is nice to judge, pass comment and get sensation going at the expense of another’s persons feelings, but it is a poor show of character.
The wrath of judgement done in this way is more harsh and damaging than what we give it acknowledgement for. It is one of those beautiful (sarcasm dripping) habits that we embrace and practice with so much intensity, passion and skill, and we are all naturals at it.
You will notice I say, “WE”.
It is in all of us and even the most aware person has this habit so deeply entrenched that they sometimes do it a few times before they realise what they are busy with. The unaware exercise judgement, play judge, jury and executioner and then justify their actions and express absolute disbelief that you kick back.
It is this very basic violation that gets my hackles up when people so quickly and so easily and without any context feel it appropriate to pass judgement on another, not considering the impact of their words and actions, not considering that the issue they are judging about is perhaps a shadow aspects of themselves that they are unwilling to look in the eyes?
When the urge for judgement comes up in us, should we not stop, look and listen and ask ourselves the questions before we judge? If we could just get that right, we are light years closer to creating a better world, starting with our own inner world.
I challenge each one of you to become a Responsible Judgement Ambassador.
