"We choose how we see people. When we want to like someone, we can be so tolerant. When we want to be irritated by people, we focus on their faults. It's not other people's behavior that determines how we feel about them -- it's our attitude.."
~ Anonymous
When I first received this forwarded text message, I can't help but agree. And feel guilty.
I felt a tinge of guilt because I realized that indeed, unconsciously but effectively, I can be very judgmental at times.
Barbara is running for USC Councilor at UP Diliman. I don't know her personally, but from what I have heard, she is a, erm, slutty. She supposedly jumps from one boyfriend to another. But then, surprises of surprises, as I was checking out the poster of her party, I read that she is the chairperson of a certain organization that advocates women's rights. I thought to myself, how can a supposedly slutty girl be a leader of a women's group? Such an irony, huh? And then it hit me. There I was, judging a girl that I never even talked to. My attitude towards her is completely based from what I have heard from other people. Which by the way, I’m not sure if not-so-flattering anecdotes of her are even 100% accurate. Anyway, enough about her.
When our emotions that spring from our attitude get the best of us, our judgment becomes clouded. It prevents us to see the bigger picture – the real picture.
It is a double-edged sword. When we love someone or are fond of someone, we tend to be more accommodating or more forgiving or more patient or nicer than necessary. Similarly, when you we're not so fond of someone, we tend to be the opposite of accommodating, forgiving, patient and nice.
More often than not, our attitude towards people is loosely based on our first impression of them. Our impression only changes once there is an opportunity to do so -- once we are given the chance to get to know the person better. Unfortunately, more often than not as well, because of our negative attitude towards certain people, we already shut out any possibility of knowing beyond our first impression. To think that many times as well, our first impression of these people is largely influenced by other people as well.
Going back to Barbara, sa palagay ko slut talaga siya. Kasi naman, sinong matinong babae ang nagpapatumbling ng isang manliligaw sa Megamall para ito’y sagutin niya? Tapos dahil hindi nagtumbling si manliligaw, iparirinig sa tambayan ng manliligaw na may bago na itong boyfriend. Oha? =p
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