They say what we call 'human nature' is actually 'human habit'. Humans have a tendency to get so accustomed to a particular way of life that it seems like the only 'right' way. The notion of what is right and what is wrong is very subjective, but we have been conditioned to give tags to things and classify the GOOD and the BAD.
In the primitive times, the 'art of labelling' was an inconceivable conviction. With time roles were established, primarily related to gender. Clans developed. The leader arose. The authoritative system of power was rooted. Norms of the society came into shape and finally the rule of law came into being. Along with these, religions and cultures were formed. From a very simple idea of livelihood, complexities emerged. In between all these complexities, humans created the rights and the wrongs, the accepted and the unaccepted. These became the major governing forces steering the society.
Often, we see ourselves judging other... on the basis of how they look, wear, do and behave. Their personal choices become our ideas of amusement. We have all done it, some time or the other. Maybe it is because we have forgotten where we come from, or we have been fed by the societal gaps of disagreeable classification. Either way, we all hold prejudices and pre-conceived notions about people around us.
For example, in a way we advocate that we support the LGBTs and voice our support for their rights. At the other end, we are quick to judge any gay or transgender that we may come across. We have been conditioned by our environment and no matter how much we try to avoid stereotyping, we always fall prey to it.
It is time we, as the upcoming generation, open our minds to bigger possibilities. It is time we collectively remove these labels that the society has blindly made us believe. We show compassion, but not empathy. We show support, but not acceptance. Stereotyping feels easier to do, acceptance is the harder road.
In the primitive times, the 'art of labelling' was an inconceivable conviction. With time roles were established, primarily related to gender. Clans developed. The leader arose. The authoritative system of power was rooted. Norms of the society came into shape and finally the rule of law came into being. Along with these, religions and cultures were formed. From a very simple idea of livelihood, complexities emerged. In between all these complexities, humans created the rights and the wrongs, the accepted and the unaccepted. These became the major governing forces steering the society.
Often, we see ourselves judging other... on the basis of how they look, wear, do and behave. Their personal choices become our ideas of amusement. We have all done it, some time or the other. Maybe it is because we have forgotten where we come from, or we have been fed by the societal gaps of disagreeable classification. Either way, we all hold prejudices and pre-conceived notions about people around us.
For example, in a way we advocate that we support the LGBTs and voice our support for their rights. At the other end, we are quick to judge any gay or transgender that we may come across. We have been conditioned by our environment and no matter how much we try to avoid stereotyping, we always fall prey to it.
It is time we, as the upcoming generation, open our minds to bigger possibilities. It is time we collectively remove these labels that the society has blindly made us believe. We show compassion, but not empathy. We show support, but not acceptance. Stereotyping feels easier to do, acceptance is the harder road.
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