Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover
Okay. So I will be straight up honest with you. We all do it. We just can’t help it. We all look at someone or even something, and expect it to be the way it looks. For example, if we see a cute little girl in a pink dress and pigtails, we will immediately think of her as a kind little sweetheart who picks flowers and loves strawberry ice-cream just because it’s pink. Sometimes, that might even be the case, but who knows? She could be the type of girl who dresses her dog against his will and tries to get rid of her baby brother by hiding him in the cupboard, hoping the lion from Narnia eats him? Or if we see a man with tattoos on his arms and long black hair looking after a child, some people will think that he will be the type of parent that leaves his child at home alone while he goes out to spend all his money on those tattoos and gambling, or the type of guy who smokes all day and supports family violence, but for all we know, those tattoos could be reminders of close family members who passed away, and he could be the type of father who will spend an hour listening to his daughters favourite subject in school instead of watching football with his mates. He could have a loving wife at home.
The problem about judging people by their appearance is that you will immediately think of that person in the way that you judged them, and then are surprised that the person is different. Sometimes people even avoid some people because they expect someone to be or act one way but end up being completely different. Sometimes judgements can be correct, but nevertheless, that isn’t the right way to get to know people. For example, the cover of The Fault in Our Stars was just words on a blue background, but that story was amazing. School is the place where judgement is the worst. Judging someone can lead from just thinking of them differently, to straight up bullying. If you avoid a person that looks like someone you won’t want to hang out with, then they will feel completely rejected. They will be lonely. You can’t judge a person in the first few minutes of acquaintance! Most of the time, the most quiet and shy people you meet end up being some of the funniest people you will ever know.
Everyone knows that you will be judged. That’s why kids in this generation are making a big deal of being skinny. Unfortunately younger and younger kids are ending up in youth anorexia hospitals due to the fact that they feel fat because of the types of people who judge others. For those of you who don’t know what anorexia is, it is a serious illness, slightly similar to depression, where you feel like you are too fat and starve yourself until you look like skin stretched over a bag of bones. After starving themselves, these kids usually either die, or end up having eating disorders for the rest of their lives. We must all remember that you can’t judge someone unless you are perfect, and nobody is perfect, therefore no one has the right to judge anyone else by the way they look. Right?
Judging people starts rumours and stereotypes. For example not all blondes are unintelligent, guys aren’t always stronger, guys who spend a lot of time on the computer or read many books aren’t geeks or nerds, guys aren’t always better than girls in sports like rugby or soccer, really skinny girls aren’t the only ones who can get a job in acting or modelling, remember ‘Fat Amy’ from Pitch Perfect? Rebel Wilson also got her own show called Super Fun Night. These are just a few of the many stereotypes that people judge others by. Stereotypes and judging people is mean and hurtful.
Please think about I have just said, and try, just try, to not judge people. Just pretend you are blind, I mean, like don’t shut your eyes in public, but if you see someone who has tons of eyeliner on and wearing black clothes from head to toe, instead of imagining them as a goth or an emo, try imagining them having a pink bedroom with stuffed animals, helping out their mother in the kitchen and taking their white poodle out for a walk. For all you know they could just be trying out a new look. Also, I know this goes out mostly to girls but for some boys too, your size, is perfect, and your weight, is just a number. Don’t let society’s view of you be more important than your view of yourself. Aswell as not letting others judge you, try not to judge them, sure it seems difficult, but it will make your life a lot easier, and others lives happier. So please, I know you are reasonable people who wouldn’t want others to be depressed, please, don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
By Oksana
