Why are people so judgmental?

Anne-Gerard Flynn | By Anne-Gerard Flynn |
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on January 22, 2008 at 6:45 AM, updated January 22, 2008 at 11:31 AM
UNlisted illustration by ALYSSA GONCALVES
DON EDWARDS, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter High School: This is going to sound really cliche but it is based on the media. You will watch TV and see teens partying and suddenly you will think all teens are like that. People are always going to have stereotypes and I don't think that is going to change anytime soon. Basically, when you see something, you create a caricature of that person and anyone who is like that is exactly like that person. It's mainly because of the media. The media is so influential on our views of people.

GRACE SLAWSKI, West Springfield High: I agree the media has a big part in teens being judgmental but I also think that when teens stereotype or judge other people it makes it easier to relate to them. If they see someone wearing Abercrombie, they will assume they are "prep" or all Hot Topic, they will assume they are Goth. None of these stereotypes seems to be true but it allows teens to recognize these people and feel better about themselves and surroundings.

T.J. SMITH, Holyoke High: When I hear the word judgmental, I think of racism. The reason I think people are so judgmental of other people whether they are white or black or Caucasian or Hindi or whatever is that they are just following the beliefs that have been passed on through their entire family. But how can you look at someone on the street with a different color of skin, and say that person is pretty rotten. You take one look at them and say, you don't want anything to do with that person. You don't know anything about them but you make a judgment about them.

PAYTON SHUBRICK, Springfield Central High: I think people are so judgmental due to the society we live in. You have to be skinny in order to be liked. Look at people in entertainment. They portray a certain look the youth think has to be maintained. If you are overweight or don't fit the stereotype, you are not going to be liked. But you can't judge a book by its cover. You are not going to know all about a person just by looking at them. Unfortunately, a lot of people read everything off of what you look like. It's sad.

DEVANTE McKOY, New Leadership Charter: People are judgmental because they have nothing else to do. They also judge because they feel they have the right to judge and there is nothing anybody can do about it.

JAMES HARRISON Jr., Springfield Central High: Being judgmental is like being racist on another level. Being judgmental you think you have the right to judge anything about that person. But it is just the same thing on a larger scales as being racist. If you don't like being racially profiled, then I don't think you should be judgmental. They run hand in hand.

INGRID MESSBAUER, MacDuffie: When people are younger and impressionable, they are exposed to certain stereotypes or opinions about people and as they grow older whenever they meet someone, they will categorize that person. Sometimes it is an unconscious thing and people get over it and prove these things wrong. Other times, people will really feel I see one person who is like this and that means all other people who are even similar are going to be just like this. It can be a real problem and I don't know if there is a way to deal with it. It starts at a younger age when people are exposed to other people's stereotypes. They pick them up and learn how to apply them. It starts at a younger age and can escalate to something really bad or not be a big deal.

JASMINE DUKE, Sci-Tech: I think being judgmental is racial profiling on a whole other level. If you are judgmental, you probably are insecure. You don't want to see things that are not like yourself. You don't want to see other people. Someone being judgmental reminds me of "Judge not, that ye be not judged." You don't judge someone because you don't want someone judging you, right? I don't judge people. It's a bad thing. There are many nice humans on the planet. You can learn different things from different people.

KAYLA CARDONA, Springfield Central High: The media is why people are so judgmental. They see stuff on TV. Another reason is that people try to make themselves happy by putting other people down to raise their self-esteem.

ANGELA BUXTON, Springfield Central High: Stereotypes are a necessity in society. Without them, people don't have a sense of identity. No matter what, you can't avoid it. It is how people are going to judge you. It is nothing you can escape from. It is just the way society is. It is a sad truth.

GINA ACCORSI, Cathedral High: As lame or cliche as this is going to sound, being judgmental has a lot to do with being insecure. Whether you are overly judgmental about yourself because you don't like the way you look or the way you act or how smart you are or someone else is judging the way you talk or by your appearance, they are not comfortable themselves and they feel they need to overcompensate by making fun of you for a fault they may have. Judging others before you know them is a really unfair way to make enemies. Judging a book by it's cover is not an intelligent move on anyone's part.