Judgment-the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion; as from circumstances presented to the mind
We all know what judging others or things is. It's a simple thought that enters one's mind about what he or she thinks about something else. So as we grow up we are constantly told that judging others is wrong and it will only lead us to worse places than we already are. By the definition written above, is the definition of judgment that society has told us our entire lives really the horrible judgment that everyone fears from others, or is it just a simple human quality that everyone possesses and will never fade until the earth ceases to exist?
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the narrator Nick Carraway mentions several times in the story what his father told him about judging others because he would never understand exactly what made others choose the choices that they make. Nick internally battles with this throughout his time in New York. As the story continues, Nick encounters many people whose judgments cause him to judge them as well, but influence him to discover the worths of life as well as the grievances. As complicated as this is, this is simply a fact of life. Judgments occur everyday, in everyone's life, in everyone's mind. That's just how it goes. May I ask then why our society continually frowns upon judging others? I'm not saying that bad judgments are morally right, because, duh, they're not, but if we didn't have judgment then wouldn't we all be considered the same?
Example: Just the other day I was with a few friends as we went through racks and racks of clothes and dresses looking for a few things that would absolutely look smashing on us. I love my friends, but sometimes I wonder what in the heck they are thinking. Some chose adorable little outfits, shoes, and jewelry, while a few others chose some hideous monstrosities of clothing that should be banned from all society. My point is that my judgment on what all of my friends chose to purchase that day was different from everyone elses. That action or thought is what makes the world go round.
Everyone is unique in their own special way, (some more than others but let's not get into that right now), and I've personally grown to accept that more than I used to. I've always know God created all humans with their own specifications and that no one is the same, but as I grow older I see it more and more and I love that fact. I love walking down the halls of school and seeing personalities expressed in ways I would never dream of attempting, I see ideas displayed in ways that I would never have thought of, but most of all I see judgments being put to the test in places and in lives that need them more than ever.
So in all this mumbo jumbo of life, I ask that the next time you see someone with a spiky purple mohawk or an old couple walking in the park holding hands and looking as content as could be, that you just take a moment to ponder anything that comes to mind about those situations. Then let them go. As much as people like to judge, and as comfortable or risky as judgments come, judgments are as easy to go away.
That's what society needs to learn. Judgments come with differences, likenesses, and acceptances. Sometimes those judgments need to be swept away for the sake of kindness, humility and just plain manners. But sometimes those judgments need to be presented, because in the reality of life, everyone needs a second opinion.
Because without forming opinions or conclusions from circumstances presented in the mind then this world would be a very robotic place. Rather judgmental, don't you think?
