6/23/2008

You Do It Too, Right?

The last several times I've had the (unfortunate) task of describing myself, I've used the term "open-minded" as one of my adjectives.

Which makes me a total liar.

It wasn't intentional. Compared to, say, the Taliban, I'm very open-minded. I don't judge people based on skin color (except for people who have that George Hamilton fake bake) or religion (except for Scientologists) or political affiliation (except for white - or any other race - supremacists) or sexual orientation (except for men who claim to be straight but are always cheating on their wives with men). Sounds pretty open-minded, right?

Except that there's more. I judge people who don't read. I judge people who have four hundred dollar diaper bags.  I judge people who don't vote. I judge people who drive Hummers.  I judge people who  never question. I judge people who wear Uggs. And, apparently, I judge people who are very pretty.

Last week The Daily Show had a gorgeous reporter on. Her name is Lara Logan. And as she walked on the stage, I assumed that she would be boring. I assumed she got her job because she looked good on camera. I assumed my beloved Jon Stewart would have to make her funny.

But Lara Logan is CBS News' chief foreign correspondent. She's spent more time in Iraq than all the politicians put together (except for the ones who are Iraq war vets, of course). She keeps filing her stories and risking her life to tell the truth about the war, even though most of her stories get quashed. She's smart. She's funny. I would love to be her friend. Even though I almost changed the channel when she came out.

I'm not going to call myself open-minded anymore. But I AM going to try to be a little less judgmental.

What are you judgmental about?

11 comments:

Karly said...

Oh, honey, I judge EVERYONE for EVERYTHING. It's a sickness. And don't tell, but I especially like to judge my in-laws. They are the most fun.

AndreAnna said...

I have a pretty good live-and-let live policy, but I do silently judge women who let the men they marry treat them like it's 1952 or who give up their independence and sense of self to be a wife and parent.

Why do women work so hard to be "equal" when so many of us are putting ourselves back in time? (And I'm not speaking of SAHMs here, just women who lose themselves in general)

Jen said...

I'm ashamed to say that I judge Republicans. Even though it goes against everything I stand for, when someone says they are a Republican I automatically assume they are racist and ignorant. I know it's ignorant and judgmental of me but hey - I'm being honest here.

Suzie said...

I judge celebraties I love it I do it and I cant even spell it. I judge Nicole Richie I wanna make her a sandwich I judge Britney I wanna get her a little coffee and am muffin to soak up some of that alcohol. I love to read those terrible rags and judge judge judge.

jerseygirl89 said...

Karly - Well, in-laws don't count, do they?

Meredith - Maybe you're not as judgmental as you thought? And I can't believe I forgot to mention the know-it-alls.

Travis - I think it's okay to judge vegetarians - they can be pretty judgmental themselves.

AndreAnna - I hear you. Those kinds of women depress me.

Jen - I love the honesty. And I may be a bit guilty of that one too.

Suzie - Well, even the "NEWS" judges celebrities these days, so you're in good company.

Wordvixen - Oh, I love your answer. Though I have to say that the non-readers I know are also the people who didn't like Juno, don't appreciate 30 Rock or Boston Legal and never learned a video game beyond Tetris.

feener said...

too many things !!! like the gym rats

love2run45 said...

I judge all types of things, and usually, I'm judgemental of stupid things. People who think they really know what I believe in bug me, "Well, since you hate_____" How do you know? You never asked.
I judge people who are lazy, but then I'm judgemental of people who never say "no" and sacrifice relationships that are very important to them because they think they have to do everything else.
It doesn't seem to take too much for me to judge other people, but I was just talking to my mom about this the other day because this isn't one of those fabulous traits I have that I want to pass onto my daughter. Hmmm....looks like I have a ton of work to do! :)

Cass said...

Oh, I'm a judge...I need to work on that. I judge people that play tennis all day while nanny's attend to their children. I judge grown women that wear Lily Pulitzer head to toe.

Jennifer, Playgroups are no place for children said...

I NEVER judge others. Never ever. Nope not me. *ahem*

Leslie said...

Just call me Judgy Judgerson. I do it. Lots.

Suzie said...

I judge celebraties I love it I do it and I cant even spell it. I judge Nicole Richie I wanna make her a sandwich I judge Britney I wanna get her a little coffee and am muffin to soak up some of that alcohol. I love to read those terrible rags and judge judge judge.