Why People Label Or Judge? How Not To Take It Personal

“The happiest people I know are evaluating and improving themselves.
The unhappy people are evaluating and judging others” – Lisa Villa Prosen

Isn’t it normal to hear people calling names to people and things?

It is a habit, sometimes including myself when I was not clear of why people are the way they are.

I have encountered this many times myself. I searched and thought about it, then came to realise that we tend to avoid anything that requires work that is taking time and energy.

And the very act of thinking requires time and of course energy.

We are, by nature, lazy and want to preserve energy, therefore we avoid doing the thinking. We are quick to assume, label and even dismiss things that we don’t understand (because we don’t think, of course) or those that do not spark our interests.

And I am guilty of it myself, like finding solace when sometimes a friend would judge or label a person who is “troubling” me at a particular time.

“Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.”― C.G. Jung

Scientifically speaking, there are two reasons why we judge others, especially on meeting for the first time. According to Harvard psychologist, Amy Cuddy, the main two reasons are, (we think and ask ourselves):

1. Can I trust this person?
2. Should I respect this person?

It is good to know that we are not alone in experiencing those feelings.

And we romanticise it as it is always done in movies and songs that true friends understand us and in fact, they do and they can help us come out of a rut just by a comment.

And we should by all means do offer a kind comment now and then if our intent was to help someone who is in depression or having a self-esteem issue.

However, what I want to bring to your attention is that when we label, judge or criticise anything or any person, we are giving away our power to understand things or people and their reason for doing or saying something.

It is also one of the main reasons we call someone who gets good things “lucky” because that is a label, a judgement for something that we are unable to understand easily. There are forces at work, always. If we look hard enough, it is not hard to see.

There are many factors that lead to what we see now as reality. The success and achievements or the failure and detriments of other fellow humans are a result of so many factors.

The same can be said of those who judge other people, they come from a place of lack themselves.

The good side is, at least you know where they stand, and where you stand with them. It is clear. With some people, you never know, they hide their true feelings while harbouring negative thoughts about you.

A clear rejection is better than fake promise, isn’t it?

Also, judgemental people are either average or below average in life. No one who has more than you will be jealous of you.