How many places do we see the word "judge"?-á You probably don't spend your free time looking for specific words, per say, but if you open your eyes now you'll see how common it's used in our culture.
Well, we have Judge Judy, of course. Judging Amy. Judge Dread starring Sylvester Stallone. We judge pie eating contests and talent shows. We go to a judge to appeal those BSU parking tickets. -á
Above all this obvious judgment, we, as humans, judge everyday.
Being a theater major, it's always a challenge to control my level of judgment. All the women are beautiful and graceful. All the men are gorgeous and can sing, which makes them that much more attractive. We compete with one another due to the nature of the game, but tend to succeed the most when we forget to judge each other and just appreciate the actual work. -á
The desire to put an end to all judgment, via book by its cover, occurred to me this summer when I was in New York City.
My mom and I wanted to be sophisticated like New Yorkers, but also frequently take bus tours and do other purely touristy things. Naturally, taking an afternoon - or nine - down 5th Avenue was a priority.
We briskly walked into Tiffany's and Co. as if we were in Vogue and wanted to look at the diamond engagement rings on the third floor. I lost my "Sex and the City" aura for a second when my face was smushed against the glass, but I couldn't believe that I was looking at jewelry so remarkable. At that moment, a man - a kid even - stepped up to the counter. He wore cargo shorts, a T-shirt advertising some 5k race and tennis shoes. His scrawny frame convinced me that he was hardly twenty-five, which was why I was so shocked by his conversation that I overheard with the salesman. -á
"I am in the preliminary stages of finding an engagement ring for my girlfriend." He was soft-spoken and probably couldn't be heard by anyone but me and Mark, the man in the suit.
"I just wanted to speak with you about budget, possibly ideas that she'd like and maybe look at some rings."-á
"Of course," Mark said. "What kind of budget are we looking at?"-á
"$20,000."-á
Mark didn't think twice and immediately showed this guy some $18,000 "pieces" - they were too expensive to call jewelry.
I had to gather my jaw off of the floor when I heard him report the news of his upcoming purchase. This kid was probably some dot-com millionaire who was brilliant and could afford something like a Tiffany's diamond.
At the same time, I saw a couple consulting another ring. This girl was in camo booty shorts and high heels. Her hair was dirty and her boyfriend did not look like he came out of GQ. All in all, they too wanted pretty jewelry.
It became so clear to me not to judge anyone, because we truly have no idea what their back stories are or the kind of positive, hard-working qualities they possess. -á
Jacqueline Bisset said, "There are so many ways of judging an experience. I tend to be a gatherer, so I don't reject experiences, I embrace them all."
In saying this just described the best and most healthy way to handle judging others or specific experiences. Sometimes judgment can lead you to define yourself through the actions of others. When used in good taste it won't be as bad.-á
Next time you feel the need to stare down a girl on the sidewalk or assume that the chick with her gut hanging out of her tube top will never get a fine piece of jewelry, think again.
You don't want Judge Judy or Stallone to declare you as being the next judger.
-áChelsea Picken is a sophomore theater major and writes 'A Shot in the Dark' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
Write to Chelsea at cppicken@bsu.edu.
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