Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I should remember not to judge people too quickly

I make snap judgements about people too often. I was reminded of that last night. I was working extra at this data entry place. I tend not to rub elbows with the people who work there, simply because it's not my style to socialize much. I'm pretty much a recluse here in this town. I wasn't in Vancouver, but I am here. For some reason I find people here rather hard to talk to. We don't have much in common.
Anyway, when I work side by side with the same people a lot without really talking to them, apart from saying hi and goodbye, I start to pigeonhole them. I'm all for relying on my first instincts about people, since I think that they do tend to be correct most of the time. However sometimes I make unfair judgements of people based on what they look like or how they dress. I'm sure a lot of us are guilty of that from time to time.
Anyway, last night I realized that I have most likely misjudged this one guy who also works extra at this place. He is full of tattoos and dressed rather shabbily and has a mean looking face. Yet he is one of the few people who work there who actually always says hello. It's not the friendliest place in the world. Despite his rather obnoxious appearance, he actually seems to be a very nice, caring person.
This is my point. I made a snap judgement and sat there and felt irritated by him for so long, like I do with a lot of people I don't know, and all along he was a nice person. I must admit that the main reason I've had a change of heart about him is that I was eavesdropping on his phone conversation. Well, it was pretty hard not to hear what he was saying since he was sitting next to me and wasn't shy about what he was saying. It was rather personal. The details aren't important, the point is the way he acted on the phone. Class act. Caring.
So, I should make it a point not to be so hasty in my judgement, and not to be so pissed off and irritable when it comes to other people.

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