OUR VOICE: Think before you judge
Mandee Kuglin
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Editorial
As children, societal norms are pounded into our brains until it becomes practically second nature to think the way society wants. But how important are these societal norms in our life. Have they gone beyond innocent norms of behavior and delved into discrimination and harsh judgments of people?
I can admit that societal norms drive many of my thoughts. For example, when I worked at a grocery store, there was a man who would come in wearing a dress and a floral hat, yet he made no attempt to hide the fact that he was clearly a man. My immediate thought is that this man must have a few screws loose. Why else would a man wake up in the morning and put on a dress? However, rather than trying to understand the reasons why this man chooses to wear a dress, I simply made an immediate judgment based on the societal norm that women wear dresses and men wear pants, but why?
What do societal norms accomplish other than causing harsh discrimination against people that are considered different? I would like to challenge someone as to what the true definition of "normal" is. I certainly have no idea. I'm probably the kind of person that people look at and judge based on societal norms as well.
So why do we judge people while we are also being judged based on societal norms? Well, it's because we don't know any other way of thinking. Many of our parents strive to make us individuals with our own ideas, but the second the TV gets turned on, any efforts they make are fruitless. The media gives their opinion on how to be "normal" and how we should think, act or look. So when someone like the man in a dress rebels against these media standards, we all look at him and think he's crazy.
As I think more about that man in a dress, I have to wonder what sense of freedom he must feel. It must be amazing to not have your thoughts, actions and feelings dictated by other people's expectations. Maybe we harshly judge people who rebel against media standards and societal norms because we wish that we could do the same thing.
For over eight years, I have been Wiccan. The main belief within my religion is called the Threefold Law. It basically says that whatever you put out into the world, positive or negative, will be returned to you three times. So, the next time you see someone who is "different," think before you judge. You never know when someone will judge you next and how harsh that judgment may be.
I can admit that societal norms drive many of my thoughts. For example, when I worked at a grocery store, there was a man who would come in wearing a dress and a floral hat, yet he made no attempt to hide the fact that he was clearly a man. My immediate thought is that this man must have a few screws loose. Why else would a man wake up in the morning and put on a dress? However, rather than trying to understand the reasons why this man chooses to wear a dress, I simply made an immediate judgment based on the societal norm that women wear dresses and men wear pants, but why?
What do societal norms accomplish other than causing harsh discrimination against people that are considered different? I would like to challenge someone as to what the true definition of "normal" is. I certainly have no idea. I'm probably the kind of person that people look at and judge based on societal norms as well.
So why do we judge people while we are also being judged based on societal norms? Well, it's because we don't know any other way of thinking. Many of our parents strive to make us individuals with our own ideas, but the second the TV gets turned on, any efforts they make are fruitless. The media gives their opinion on how to be "normal" and how we should think, act or look. So when someone like the man in a dress rebels against these media standards, we all look at him and think he's crazy.
As I think more about that man in a dress, I have to wonder what sense of freedom he must feel. It must be amazing to not have your thoughts, actions and feelings dictated by other people's expectations. Maybe we harshly judge people who rebel against media standards and societal norms because we wish that we could do the same thing.
For over eight years, I have been Wiccan. The main belief within my religion is called the Threefold Law. It basically says that whatever you put out into the world, positive or negative, will be returned to you three times. So, the next time you see someone who is "different," think before you judge. You never know when someone will judge you next and how harsh that judgment may be.
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