Each of us judges others on a near-continuous basis, our judgments invoked by automatic mental processes.
When we meet people for the first time, our judgments of them will be influenced by who they remind us of, whether we like what they are doing, and whether we believe they might help or hinder our goals. Although we cannot always control what we like or dislike about them, we can choose whether to share our judgment or to keep it private.
On those occasions when we express ourselves, we can decide whether to do so bluntly or with politeness and tact. We are best off keeping in mind, that our judgment may be critical or generous depending on our own outlook.
Each of us, in other words, makes many choices that determine how we judge others.
There are important lessons as to how to judge others in wisdom traditions such as Confucian thought, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and other venerable traditions.
Confucian thought, for example, discourages the idle judgments of others. Confucius' Analects makes the point in this brief passage:
Zigong was criticizing other people. The Master said: "Zigong must have already reached perfection, which affords him a leisure I do not possess."
The passage is so brief, it is worth considering a second translation of the same:
Zigong was given to grading people. The Master said, "How superior Zigong is! For my part I have no time for such things."
In this exchange, Confucius rebukes the student because judging others should come only after one's own self-reflection and self-examination. According to Confucian scholars, the virtuous person is always on a path to self-betterment and must never let up. Grading others before examining oneself could be a sign of arrogance.
Yet there are many times when a person ought to judge others. Such judgments help us discern good behavior from bad and tell us who is behaving properly (the Analects: "No gentleman would ever contemplate overstepping his position."). Another instance in which such judgments are needed is to defend against those trying to disrupt society. From the Analects, again:
The Master said: "Without anticipating deception or suspecting bad faith, still to be able to detect them at once, is sagacity indeed."
Moreover, when done properly, Confucius believed judgments could help others:
The Master said: "A gentleman brings out the good that is in people, he does not bring out the bad. A vulgar man does the opposite."
So Confucius lacks the time to judge only when the judgment is idle - gossip, perhaps. More purposeful judgments, however, are worth taking time for.
Confucius' restraint concerning judging others is impressive because, as I will argue in my next post on Confucian tradition, Confucius has many good ideas about how to judge others accurately. When he discourages us (and himself) from judging, he is restraining a natural talent he possesses.
Although Confucius is able to exercise good judgment, he doesn't necessarily believe the benevolent person will be judged accurately -- even including himself. For instance, Confucius and his student Zigong engage in this dialogue:
The Master said: "No one understands me!" Zigong said: "Why is it no one understands you?" The Master said: "I do not accuse Heaven, nor do I blame men; here below I am learning, and there above I am being heard. If I am understood, it must be by Heaven."
* * *
Click here for more information on the Personality Analyst blog.
Click here for more posts in this series.
Notes: The interpretation of Zigong's criticisms, and Confucius' retort is from pp.72- 73 of Cheng, T'ien-Hsi (1946). China moulded by Confucius - The Chinese way in a Western light. London: Stevens. The remarkable T'ien-Hsi was both a Confucian scholar, a (Chinese) Supreme Court Justice, and (later) Fellow of University College, London.
Direct quotes from the Analects follow Confucius (1997). The analects of Confucius. S. Leys (Trans & Ed). New York: W. W. Norton. [Original work c. 479 BCE] unless otherwise noted.
"Zigong was criticizing other people," Chapter 14.29. The alternate translation of the same passage is from Confucius (1979). The analects. D. C. Lau (Trans & Ed). New York: Penguin. [Original work c. 479 BCE]. I modified the second translation so as to keep the student's name the same and use a similar style of punctuation.
The Master said: "Without anticipating deception..." Chapter 14.31
..."No gentleman would ever contemplate..." Chapter 14.26
The Master said: "A gentleman brings out the good..." Chapter 12.16
"No one understands me!..." Chapter 14.35
Copyright (c) 2009 John D. Mayer
