discerning vs judgemental

“Of course we need to accept ourselves as we are, but we can’t stop there. We also need to value ourselves enough make needed changes”.

Steve Goodier

I read once in a book about the management of the self and the team what a pity and bad luck are to live or work with judgemental people. This statement was so clearly true that immediately brought to my mind incidents of the past. We all experience at least once in our life the unpleasant consequences of dealing with such people. They represent the one edge, the harsh, and the unreasonable because their “criticism” lacks basic elements of critical thinking: objective purpose, fair attitude, complete information, clear observation, systematic interpretation, logical conclusions. Thus, they create only unhappiness, negativity, and a sense of injustice.

The other edge is to deny any ability to intellectuality and reasoning. In order not to be judgemental, we refuse to express any kind of critical view or opinion. We cannot all be good at anything at any time. To say that someone’s performance inactivity is bad, it doesn’t cancel the meaning of his existence. As long as these personal estimates are made with respect and kindness and are based on real and objective criteria, we should only be grateful for the clear view that they offer us. 

To live in harmony and benefit ourselves, by the others and by our environment, we should always try to stay discerning rather than judgemental or listless. Discerning is to observe ourselves and what is around, discriminate with objective standards, and make clear decisions about our lives and our relationships. Besides, a sharp eye always helps one survive.