Warthog Wisdom: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover

Warthogs aren’t an image of beauty with their disproportionately large heads and the warts-thick protective-pads that appear on both sides of their head. People often have the perception that warthogs are very dangerous and ferocious because of their unsightly outer appearance. The truth is that warthogs are very caring and loving towards their young and do not have an inherently aggressive nature.

This is also true about life. Labeling people and placing them in stereotypes based on first impressions and assumptions is something everyone does. We often judge people based on their appearances and our preconceived notions without finding out who they really are. Most people seem to think, if the outside is unsightly, then the rest must be bad as well. If we dislike the outward aspect of people, we cannot reach their inner character and something very powerful could be inside them. Do people’s appearances really constitute their value, or is there more to them than meets the eye? People shouldn’t be judged by how they look but be judged by their actions.

Never underestimate the impact that stereotypes have on our perceptions and the powerful influence they wield over our attitudes, resultant behaviour and actions.

Be careful of perceptions, they are often very misleading. Don’t be judgmental; always find out all the facts and truths before judging people. Do to others what you would have them do to you. If we don’t want to be judged, the simple solution is to not judge other people as judging is a fruit of not loving people.

From African Wisdom by Dr. Lanette Hattingh

Dear Net Buddies,

Do you ever wish someone in your life would see you differently?

Have you ever helped a friend change the perception of someone who saw them incorrectly?

What are ways you might suggest to a friend to solve this situation if they shared it with you?

What are memory tricks you can use yourself not to judge people before you really know them?

Please, please, please share these tips with all of us since we can all keep making progress in this area. It is human nature to be judgmental, but a gift to each other when we can help reduce widespread rumors and decisions made based on stereotypes! You can consider it your good deed for the day to send us your thoughts on these topics.

Read more about Dr. Lanette Hattingh 

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