"Examine what is said, not he who speaks."
Arabian proverb
Unfortunately it is more often the latter rather than the former, usually for all the wrong reasons.
What people think and say should be the basis for deciding who they are.
How they look is only the cover of their book.
There's been a lot of research proving that better looking people are treated more fairly, sometimes even beyond what they deserve, in comparison to less attractive individuals.
ReplyDeleteAnd not just "better looking" Jean.
ReplyDeleteThere must be some undocumented ideal for appearance and behavior including things such as ethnicity, physical characteristics, dress, manner of speech, personal hygiene, etc. Anyone who falls short may be subject to negative reaction from others and who among us doesn't? Everyone I know, me included, is lacking in some to many of these areas.
So what to do about it?
I don't know on a broad cultural basis but I can and do try my best not to fall into the trap of judging people on such too simple criteria. It is a never-ending struggle but one very important nonetheless.