Perception Judgments

It is technically impossible to perceive others without judging or categorizing them on some level. Because of how each individual was raised, they place different values on different aspects of a person. When you see someone, you look at their appearance: their hair, attire, skin color, and even how they carry themselves. Through these, you come up with an initial idea of how they will be, whether or not said idea is accurate.

The only way to make said judgments to become “fair” is simply realizing the different possibilities with each aspect. For instance, a disheveled hairstyle could imply a lack of personal grooming habits or it could mean they’re struggling somehow and can’t put focus on their appearance. We also use their attire to come up with their mindset or their likes. For instance, you could assume someone wearing a Raider shirt is a fan of the NFL team, the Raiders, where someone wearing a shirt depicting Twilight Sparkle would be assumed to enjoy the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Many things can have many meanings, and seeing the different possibilities is what makes these “judgments” fairer in the long run as well as immediately.