Thursday, February 24, 2011
Diff'rent Strokes for Diff'rent Folks
Am. society labels men who wear dresses and women who wear flannel as odd, unusual, or homosexual. We ridicule others' clothing and look, knowing nothing about what precipitates it (economic status, personal desire, work). We consider shows and the stars in them who do the same as prophets (Jersey Shore) rather than judgmental assholes. Why, when online as we are or in the classroom, do we talk a big game about acceptance and social influence, when in reality, we seem to be unable to defy our judgmental nature? Many of you may even be offended when I ask this, declaring "I am not like that! or I do not care what other people think!" But think about the next conversation you have with your friends about others, or the last one, and respond.
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I think many people are judgmental when it comes to seeing a man in public wearing a dress and woman in public wearing a skirt, is because many people are uncomfortable with change and a different approach other than the normal expectations of society. People are more accepting of it when seeing it on television, such as jersey shore or any other famous person, because those people are looked at as being at a more superior level than the rest of us, so therefore anything they do will not be ridiculed because we are inferior to them most of the time in terms of wealth and lifestyle. People with a higher ranking in society are more able to step out of the norm and still be accepted.
ReplyDeleteAs much as people probably don't want to admit it, many people are very judgmental of others even if they don't realize it. If we see someone who may look different from us or someone who wears something slightly differently, we tend to make comments about it. People who are famous such as the Jersey Shore cast could probably wear whatever they wanted and not be judged on it just because they are known to have a higher ranking then the rest of society. People with higher rankings generally are more accepted then others because they feel inferior to us. Overall, as much as we don't want to admit it, we are a very judgmental society.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is judgmental. It is human nature. It is not always a good thing, because no one should ever judge someone by the way that they present themselves or the way that they look. It is ironic that we consider celebrities and casts of shows such as Jersey Shore to be "prophets", but as a society, America is obsessed with fame and money. It is true that people with higher social rankings are not looked down upon as much as any average person walking down the street, meanwhile we still tend to make these first impression judgments, even when we know it is wrong.
ReplyDeleteEverybody is judgmental of other people. People who dress differently or act differently than us we tend to comment on; we ridicule them without knowing their situation. Everybody likes to think that they are accepting of people, and we try to convince ourselves that we accept other people for who they are, but that's not always the case. I know that as a phys ed major I am judged often. People say, "you're such a pretty girl" or, "you're so smart why are you a phys ed major?". It's unfair to be judged by my desired profession simply because of stereotypes especially due to gender. With that said, I know that I'm judgmental towards people every day. As hard as I try not to be I often judge those I see, but I try not to let that be my only impression of them. In todays society, it is hard not to judge people because all around us theres celebreties who make it seem alright.
ReplyDeleteAs much as people are afraid to admit it, especially adolescents, everyone judges everyone. Most of the time people do not even realize that they are doing it. It is simply human nature to talk about someone or judge someone who is not like yourself. Almost everyone has an issue with accepting others for who they are. A large contributor to this is the media. Reality shows such as "Jersey Shore" has created ideas about how people should look and act. Their fame has made them superior to others and many people feel that they have to be who they see on television.
ReplyDeleteIt is natural for people to judge others, unfortunately I judge people quite easily and later find my judgements to be way off. We cannot change the fact that we prematurely judge people, but we can become more respectful and accepting of others. Many turn away and avoid conversations with people because of their appearance. Maybe if we gave these avoided people chances they could end up being our great friends who positively contribute to our happiness. We are all self-concious. Everybody can find flaws within themselves so it is wrong disrespect others solely off appearance.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society, everyone is judgmental. People are very quick to judge simply by how you dress, wear your makeup, the shoes you wear and even the way your hair is. We have stereotypes that people characterize people in. For example a man who wears a dress or a skirt would be placed into the category as being gay. Knowing nothing about that person if a person in todays society saw him walking in the street they would automatically assume he is gay. First impressions today mean everything, if i a girl doesn't care about her appearance and doesn't put on tons of makeup and dress nice she is considered a to boy or even a lesbian. People are very quick to judge because that is they way we were brought up. There are certain expectations that a man should meet, as well as a woman, if one of those sexes do not meet that expectation they are automatically looked down upon and considered to be different. As far as people on television they can do what ever they want because they are supposedly "famous" therefore they are the role models to society. There is no doubt in my mind that if all these rappers started to wear dresses it would automatically be okay for men to wear dresses, simply because now "everyone" is doing. In today's society it is not okay to be different therefore when you are different you are ridiculed and made fun of. Maybe if people in todays society were not so shallow and took the chance to meet others and give them a chance rather than judging them on their physical appearance the world would be a much better place.
ReplyDeleteMany individuals are afraid to admit that they are judgmental and this has become a huge problem in society. I believe that everyone is judgmental even if their afraid to say it. People may not express their judgments to other people but they definitely think stuff in their head. For example, if a man was to be walking down in the streets in a dress many citizens would turn to one of their friends and say something like, “What is that man wearing?” or just think in their head that. If we look at someone who may look a little different, many people would make comments and judge them based off of their appearance. Many individuals are afraid of change and this makes them uncomfortable and leads to judgments. People are more accepting of celebrities. For example, if Mike from Jersey Shore was to wear a dress in the streets this would be more accepted and lead to less judgments because celebrities are believed to have a higher status than the rest of us. It is sad that people make judgments, but I believe that judgments are going to happen for the rest of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI feel like its natural for people to be a little judgmental. I'm not saying that it is right, but everyone does it to some extent, whether it is verbalized or not. I don't think it is because we have something against a "group" or "Style" of dress but that we just are not used to it. society has created guidelines for what is "acceptable" as far as clothes and such. anything straying from that can catch people off guard because its something not everyone is used to.
ReplyDeleteIn today's society, everyone judges everyone. Many people wont admit it but it is natural for people to judge someone by their appearances. Whether people may agree, first impressions are when you are judged the most. Before you even say one word to someone you just meet they already have guessed they way you are. I do not believe this is done because people have something against one another but society creates guidelines and if someone does not match those guidelines they are judged. Being judgmental is seen fine in todays society, the media is one of the because examples of being judgmental. In many magazines there are sections just for judging celebrities such as the areas where they ask "Who Wore It Better?" These question are then taken into everyday life and even if someone doesn't verbalize their judgment, for the first couple of seconds when they see someone they are judging them. This is why many people say first impressions are very important.
ReplyDeletePeople are judgmental of others and put labels on others in todays society everyday. People never want to admit that they are judgmental because their judgments might be way off. But that is why I enjoy meeting new people and proving my judgments wrong. Everyone judges, and everyone labels but, it is the people who do not try to find out if their judgments were correct that are truly judgmental.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite obvious that the way we talk about things with our friends is different then the way one expresses themselves in a classroom because they are simply not going to be judged by their friends as heavily as they would in a classroom. The true nature of man is to be ruthless and gain as much as they can in the world, so in order to do that one must judge people to establish who they can therefore beat out in the competitive world. I'm not saying I agree with it, as it is completely hypocritical, but asking someone to not judge another human being is asking them to simply not be human.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that people are naturally judgmental. It is because of society’s expectations and standards for the ways of how people must act and look in order to be seen as normal. When people act or dress differently, they are judged and seen from others as being weird. Most people, who follow society’s views, see a person’s appearance and actions and see it as unacceptable because they are not used to something out of the ordinary. It is not that people are bad; it is just that these types of judgments are now natural for people considering what is being taught by society.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those people that usually says " I do not care what other people think". In high school I use to run track competitively, which meant i did indeed wear the "short shorts". I found myself constantly being ridiculed because I choose to wear the "short shorts". I got use to being judged and learned to justify it and not blame others. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It's impossible to not judge someone in my opinion because when you see or hear something you take a stance on the subject. We are taught to not judge, but there is no real right choice. Everyone is different and there is no universal acceptable choice so everyone makes mistakes. What one person does may not be liked by another. We are all individuals and are able to make our own choices, but there are consequences to every choice
ReplyDeleteIt is very obvious that it is human nature to be prejudice. Every single person is prejudice. The reason why so many of us choose to say one thing and do another is very simple. We are all adults and we know the difference from right and wrong. We all do things that we look back and say "oh jeez why did i say that?" The reason why we judge people is because they are different. Throughout the years society has determined for the most part the gender roles. Even though we know that we should except everybody, we do not. Throughout time however, i do believe that we will become less and less prejudice. It will take a lot longer then people actually may think.
ReplyDeleteSociety is definitely moving more towards the "judgement free zone" that everyone always talks about, however this will never be the case completely. There are always the kinds of people that have stereotypes so intertwined with who they are, that they will never have an open mind towards certain groups of people. Take racists for example, especially from the South. They are in the Bible Belt of the country and have been raised to have certain views about African Americans that in many of their minds, the country should still be segregated. It is people like this that will fight to the end to defend their views, whether they be right or wrong, and will make total harmony impossible.
ReplyDeleteAs for everyone being judgemental; it's true. People can think that they have an open mind about everyone, but whether you say it out loud adamantly or think it within your head, everyone passes judgement. Like others have said, it's human nature to question those that aren't like you. Every little kid always wonders why some people are black, others white, and others brown. They even wonder why their sister may have a vagina while they have a penis. It's just how people are. Everyone can hope that people grow out of it someday, but there will always be that curiosity in people that makes them wonder why people are different. Obviously it can be a very harmful thing when people pass negative stereotypes about other groups, but this is what we need to work towards within society to try and break the barriers that are stopping us from doing so.
Many people tend to always say "I don't care" or "that doesn't bother me" but the true fact is, is that it does. Even if it's in the slightest bit, every single person in one way or another is prejudice. Whenever there is a style change of clothing, music or actions everyone seems to have a comment about it. But the thing that i don't get is there never positive comments. Why cant change be a good thing? I'm very guilty when it comes to this. If i see a male get their nails done, right away I think about how weird that is and how not normal that is.But what really is normal? Because to him getting his nails done is normal, but to me it's not. So just because one person feels prejudice towards something towards someone, that other person might feel the same thing back to them. Theres no wrong or right in change, it's just universal. Everybody is different and in time people will come to realize that.
ReplyDeleteI think that we make fun of other people's clothing or appearances without thinking about it because we are afraid of not being accepted ourselves. Think about when you were sitting around the lunch table in middle or high school and everyone else was making fun of someone walking by. You knew it was wrong, but didn't say anything because you were afraid that if you were not the one making fun of people, you would end up being the victim of ridicule. We all get so used to judging others before knowing them that it becomes a norm for us and we think it is acceptable, even though it is not right. We idolize people on shows like The Jersey Shore and think they are better than everyone else just because they are on TV, but what we don't realize is that they are being payed to act like idiots and dress that way. If we would stop accepting such norms in society, maybe TV shows like this would stop becoming so important and we would learn to accept people for who they are instead of judging them based on their appearances.
ReplyDeleteWhen someone says that they don't care what other people thinks about them, it is just a macho ego that comes out trying to play off the way they really feel. Society wants us to be raised in such a narrow minded way which leads to the judgment of anyone who appears different than the norm.
ReplyDeleteI feel like when it comes to first impression a lot of people judge. Its just comes naturally we all tend to judge even if we don't want to.When we see someone who is different it tends to grab our attention and we judge and think to why that person seems different. I myself try to not be judgmental and at least get to talk to the person or find out more about them before I make further judgments but like I said we judge no matter what and sometimes in bad way by putting a label on them and sometimes in way where we trying to figure out why this person is different. Something out of societies standards. When it comes to celebrities we don't tend to judge them for what they are doing because we tend to think of them as entertainers and they are getting payed to be different. Like is cool to see a homosexual on TV and it doesn't bother you why they dress or act that way. But if a homosexual is your roommate or in the hall all we do is talk and judge about their appearance or action without truly knowing why they are the way they are.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is difficult to admit, everyone has judgments of people without even knowing them. People have ideas of how a certain gender, race, age should look and even act. These ideas could be ones they created on their own, ideas they were raised upon, or even ideas that society has put into their minds. People have predetermined judgments that are based upon norms. People judge a man walking down the street in a dress because to them this isn't "normal." They are used to seeing a man in a suit and tie, or in a pair of jeans and a button-down. When someone sees something that is completely different, that breaks his or her idea of a norm, his or her first reaction is to judge it. When people see something they don’t like or prefer, they are willing to ridicule it in any way possible because they don’t agree with it and are not willing to accept it. The only way judgment won’t continue, which I believe it will always exist, is if society and the people in it begin to start accepting things that don’t fit into the norm, or mold, they believe everything should fit into. Many people try to say that they don’t care about how others judge them, but that usually isn’t true. Many of the things people do everyday are to fit into the norm of society and others’ judgment of them. People always state how they would do this or do that, if they didn’t have to worry about how others would see them. They are too afraid of how others will judge them that they are not willing to take a risk and be who that want to be. Maybe a guy wants to wear a dress in public because he likes the way he feels in silk. Or maybe a girl likes wearing overalls and flannel because it is more comfortable than wearing a mini skirt. No one knows why certain people wear the things they do or behave a certain way, and that is exactly why someone shouldn’t judge another individual. As the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
ReplyDeleteAs everyone above has hit upon, everyone is judgmental in someway or another. The most religious or moral based person will have issues with another at some point in life, whether they voice it to others or not. I believe THAT is the key, voicing it. When you open your mouth and voice your judgements, it makes it acceptable for conversation. If you think that guy wearing a dress is homosexual or a "fag" you keep it to yourself, once you talk about it in a social conversation, it becomes publicly acceptable to bash ones life choices of sexuality or fashion. Not to say that people shouldn't work on limiting their own judgements, I just feel that it could be limited to your own mind if you must have them.
ReplyDeleteIf your a boy wearing a dress, I say "good for you".. I wish all people felt that way and voiced that outlook.
I do agree that people are judgmental and label people in the fastest ways they possibly can when they see someone that isn't like them. However, not everyone is overly judgmental. One I believe it can definitely be a huge part of how you were raised. Yes I care what people say about me, but I don't always let those things affect me in a positive or a negative way. Everyone interprets people differently. Does everyone make a snap judgment of a person when they meet them? No, not everyone, personally I hate snap judgments, you want to judge me go ahead but learn something about me before you do that. Bet by looking at me you wouldn't know that I've been to more funerals then years I have been alive or that I'm an interior firefighter and almost had my life taken from me. You can't judge a book by it's cover can you so why should you judge a person like that? What gives anyone the right to be able to do that?
ReplyDeleteIn todays society it is nearly impossible to walk down the street without having someone look you up and down.We are all judged by our first appearance.Before we open our mouths an individual can label us or distinguish us as something we are not.As hard as it is to admit, I believe we all tend to judge others unintentionally.It has become second nature to immediately judge someone if they appear different from what is considered the norm.Having two family members that are homosexual really changed how I feel about "judging a book by its cover".Seeing the ridicule they faced throughout there lives really changed my perspective on life for the better.Nobody should judge anyone, for they have every right to be whoever they want to be.
ReplyDeleteJudging a person, place, or situation at first glance is something that humans naturally do everyday. Many times though, the judgments that people make are unfair and preconceived. When a person acts or looks outside of what is the "norm" in society then they are perceived as odd or strange. Because society has so many ideals and standards it prevents people from being unique and wanting to stand out. People make false judgments of people all the time but many times these judgements are unintentional. It is a shame that society has ideals about how people should look and act because a person should be able to look and act however they want without worrying about what other people think.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt in my mind that judging someone on appearance is human nature, but I believe choosing to look past your assumptions or not is the more important part to the matter. I'm sure the environment in which someone is raised also contributes to how judgmental someone is. I'm gay and this year started dressing in men's clothing and I can definitely tell when i walk by some people that they judge me. Most of us in society have just accepted the fact that people judge like I have but that doesn't mean everyone does. I have a lot of friends and people in my life that look past the way I dress and my sexuality and got to know me because my sexuality does not define me.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if everyone wants to feel as if they can understand anothers situation and where they come from. No one wants to be the bad guy in any situation and yet when it comes to talking about an unusual situation,people want to be the sterio typical 'normal' and 'cool' so that others don't judge them. People have to watch out for themselves and their way that they live their life.
ReplyDeleteIn society it is almost instint that once you see someone for the first time you make a pre-judgemet. It is not neccesarily a bad thing because you can always change what you think about someone but you should not judge someone based on what they are wearing and how they look but we do. A big reason why people would judge a man wearing a dress is because that is culture shock. You usually never see a man wearing a dress so when you do it surprises you and you automatically judge them. No one should make pre-judgements but it is hard not to because it is almost automatic.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is judgmental in certain ways. I believe it just matters on how judgmental someone may be. If someone has witnessed something numerous times they might not judge as much for someone being different. In some cases if someone may have experienced what they are seeing they may be more down to earth with what they so and not judge. People tend to judge something that is not the cultural norm and that is just automatic to them, and i believe this wont change
ReplyDeleteWhen a person sees a man wearing a dress they make judgements because it is not something that you will see everyday. It is not normal for us and so automatically we will make some kind of assumption about why they do this. People do not judge big TV stars because many people want to be like them and make a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteMany people in society have this idea that everything is as it seems, or "to judge a book by its cover" and it is wrong. Society is socially constructed and that means that everything can and will change when the time comes. People have the right to wear whatever they want, it's apart of our first amendment rights. People only view men who werar women's close or vice versa as deviant because they were raised to react that way. They were told that men are men and women are women, and that there is no in between. Anything that is new to anyone is scary because it is unfamiliar, and when something is scary and can cause change people want it to be stopped. There is nothing wrong with men who dress like women or vice versa, it is a part of who they are.
ReplyDeleteMe who wear dresses and women who wear flanels are considered odd. They are odd because it is not the social norm. Indeed they are different but the problem occurs when the rest of society passes judgement on these people. Rather than judge others, these differences should be respected and embraced
ReplyDeleteIt's very easy to not notice that you yourself are judgmental. Everybody has the tendency talk about who they see and how they're dressed or how they're acting. It has become a part of society, so no one really even realizes it unless they actually take a step back and think about what they just said. It's a problem in today's society, and I don't think it's going away any time soon.
ReplyDeletePeople ridicule men and women who dress differently because they fear those who go against the norm. With the media clearly showing how men and women are supposed to look, people would rather follow the crowd then be themselves. They believe that those who are themselves can change the fundamentals of what it means to be a man or a woman and possibly even an American. Other cultures are more accepting of people who go outside the norm but in America those who are not followers are considered weird. People should learn to accept others for who they are, not how they look. This change though seems to be very far in the future.
ReplyDeleteMany people make fun of men who wear dresses and women who wear flannel because they are different. Everyone judges someone at some point in their life. The media does dictate what men and women are supposed to look but how can the media have so much impact on how someone can look that people can't dress how they want to and that they have to dress a certain way to not get ridiculed. This thought baffles me. It is crazy that the media is such a big part of our lives.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in America is judgmental, whether it is intentional or not. When you see a person that dresses out of the ordinary, such as a man wearing a skirt, people make comments and judgements based on the apparel he is wearing. In society, men are supposed to wear flannels and women are supposed to wear dresses because that is the way society depicted them as. When they dress out of the ordinary they are prone to being judged by others. People judge others based on their clothing because they are not used to men and women dressing as the opposite sex. People need to learn to accept people who they are even if it is based on the clothing they wear and not make judgments based on clothing.
ReplyDeleteMany people may deny certain acts that they perform everyday, but everyone judges wether they say they do or they don't. Some people may not mean to judge, but when they see someone anywhere that are dressed differently, many things come to the peoples minds. Many judgements come from what people wear. If people are dressed differently than everyone else, they are highly judged than the people that are dressed just like them. Many people will not admit that they are judgmental, but the truth is, everyone is.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that people can be judgmental, ridicule others and worship those who do the same (like the cast of The Jersey Shore) is the same reason why, in the classroom, those same people exclaim things like "I am not like that!." Everyone just wants to fit in in one way or another. Everyone judges others based on their appearance whether they would like to admit it or not. However not all of these judgments manifest into ridicule and teasing, though when someone is trying to impress others or fit in, it is likely that is does. When they see people who stray from what society has set as normal, they know that those people are easy targets for ridicule and even if they are not really mean spirited individuals, while in the company of their cruel peers, who are also trying to fit in and impress others, they may ridicule these people who don't fit social norms. Then the same person the next day in a class that is conducting a scholarly debate about prejudice and acceptance will speak up about how he or she is different and doesn't judge someone based on their appearance. It all has to do with fitting in and the way one handles his or her prejudices.
ReplyDeleteEverybody throughout American society to this day is judgmental. This is something that in my opinion is never going to change no matter what. Even if people don’t realize and disagree, everybody is judgmental in someway. What would you think of a male walking around in your town with feminine clothes on? I guarantee most people around him would look at him weird and cast a specific idea in their heads. Most people would think that is odd because it deviates from the normal and maybe that he is also a homosexual. This is a problem in American society today because people shouldn’t be judged on how they look or what styles they choose to adopt. People should be judged on how they are as a whole not just what they look like on the outside. In a nutshell its pretty much the expression don’t judge a book by its cover.
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