Opinion: Reserving judgment

A common foil that persists through many types of arguments is the thoroughly dismantling accusation of prejudice. Whether on the side for or against progress, this accusation can derail a discussion and cause a lot of friction. However, not all incidences of judgment are what they seem.

Using ones judgment in a tense situation is a key component of decision-making. It is, however, commonly considered offensive to judge another person, rather than their actions. Prejudice, or making a judgment without sufficient information about the scenario, is considerably more offensive, because of the fact that it is done in ignorance of the details of the people involved. Distinguishing between informed opinion and prejudice is a key component of evaluating character.

Prejudice and Prevention

First, recognizing some of the obvious manifestations of prejudice is fairly simple. Often, these come in the form of blanket observations about the affected group, rather than a statement issued by said group. These observations can even seem factual, at first, but bear in mind that in any significantly large group, there are many outliers who will not only exist outside the bounds of this rule, but do so quite happily.

This also affects those who have only had limited experience with the affected group. If, for example, you have only had interactions with a few members of a company, your observations about their work ethic and company culture may not apply to all of them, especially if they are found to be acting outside the bounds of their company’s policies. A limited sample size may be enough to form a concrete judgment, but still not apply to anyone besides those with whom you have interacted directly.

Informed Consideration

Taking into account direct observations and continuing to make observations over time are key components in establishing an informed opinion. Using primary sources like memorandums and manifestos, as well as conversations and interviews with the relevant parties, are often the most informative, though there is the possibility that secondary sources like scholarly research may prove useful as well. Be cautious in the use of public interviews, as giving platforms and public fora can do more to propagate a violent ideology than to stop it, in some cases, as well as provide a means for the most insidious ideologies to conceal their nature.

After taking time to observe and evaluate, any judgments made at this point can no longer be considered prejudicial. This doesn’t guarantee their accuracy, of course, but at the very least, you should feel confident in defending against such accusations. Be prepared to reevaluate and apply incoming information, especially if new primary sources can be discovered, and apply reasonable skepticism to sources that can’t be corroborated.

Official Reserved List

Some occasions do call for the complete reservation of judgment. In particular, there are few situations where a person should be judged for the occurrence of calamity; an assault victim, for example, is likely not deserving of that trauma, regardless of the perception of provocation. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, however, as nuances of imminent threat are oftentimes also relevant. Still, judgment of the victim should be reserved until more is understood, and often declined completely to avoid undermining supportive intentions.

Even occasions where it seems a snap judgment may be made require analysis. Paraphernalia displayed depicting extremist ideologies may have been displayed in protest; a vote in a legislature against a minor positive policy may have been cast in order to defeat a powerfully negative provision; a parenting decision that seems questionable for a neurotypical child may have been made as a specific accommodation for a disability. In each of these cases, it is even more imperative that a primary source of information be evaluated, if it’s at all available, as an uninformed opinion has the potential to cause a lot of damage.

Taking time to stop and fully appreciate a situation is most certainly a skill, and must be practiced. With its importance laid out, however, it is up to each of us to decide exactly how much effort to invest in it. Hopefully, it’s now easier to see how the effort can be applied more efficiently, and why that extra investment carries merit. That merit and information carries confidence, and hopefully the argument as well.

Picture Credit: Elementary School in Ningbo, PRC 2013.