Is it that old philosophy, "If we don't understand it, we must eradicate it?", or is something deeper, more a thing of science or psychology?
To be honest, this is a subject I understand up to a point, but have a hard time wrapping my
head around on the other hand.
I was raised to view differences with a grain of salt, and to only "judge" a person based on
whether or not they were a danger to themselves, or those around them.
But, than again, I was raised around and grew up with circumstances that made me see
people as how they behaved and to get to know them at a deeper level. You know, the old
"Don't judge a book by it's cover".
You see, my sister was born without ears(a result of a little know, at the time, side effect of
the seizure medication my Mom's doctors had her on, while pregnant with my sister), stories
of my very artistic, talented, funny, and, oh yeah, gay Uncle David, had a mother who taught
me to meditate when I was around four years of age, a father that was heavily into
drugs(though don't worry, he chose drugs over family and didn't live with us anymore by the
time I was three years old), another father who struggled with alcohol abuse, my
grandmother on my birth fathers side was blind, and, well, to be completely honest, I could
go on and on.
So, as you see, I was around "different" people from the get go. And the thing I learned first
and foremost from the experience was that you should be who you are.
And, from these early experiences, I became, well, sort of obsessed actually, with trying to
understand the people around me as best as I could.
So, I guess in a way this "thought" of mine as to why we're so judgmental of differences in
those around us is an attempt to understand the people around me once again.
Therefore, my assignment for you, my dear readers, loyal and new, is to help me answer this
question that is blinking like a road sign in the back of my skull.
What is it about others that you often find yourself judging them for? Maybe you have the
tendency to be wary of black men(or women), those who sport piercing or tattoo's, people
who are of a different creed than you, lesbians, gay men, cross dressers, circus performers,
anything really.
Ask yourself what is it about them that pokes at you and pass it on to me. Because I truly
want to understand it from your point of view.
Even with the things I have experienced I still make judgement's of my own. So, please don't
take this as a judgement on you or a chance to be picked on for your beliefs. Take this as an
opportunity to look inside yourself, understand yourself, and engage another human being in
a conversation.
No ones judging you here.
