Do we see other people as they are or as we think they are (images, labels, ideas, judgements, assumptions)?

Question

Do we see other people as they are or as we think they are (images, labels, ideas, judgements, assumptions)?

Answer 1

Labels are impressive or devaluing. All are able to declare love for the lauded and popular. Would, could we love God, would he be so considered, his nobility and majesty any the lesser if he were downcast in rags, in foreign tongue, of no particular place or abode, would his greatness be diminished or his praise singers so ardent in their allegiance...

Answer 2

Both.

You see me as a bald man. That is how I am.

What "bald man" means to you (labels ... "skin head?" "chinese monk?" .... judgements ... "he's nice," "he's mean"), is what you think the world is.

Answer 3

I think all those things stem from laziness.

Answer 4

There will be no problems in the society if we see other people

as they are.

Answer 5

we see them as they are... we understand them as we think they are...  

Answer 6

LOL... you know... there is one more aspect to this. :-)

Others are just (and exact) a reflection of the various aspects of that which you are. Its interesting to see that we are simply seeing ourselves in the cosmic mirror surrounding us and not recognising any of it. Such is the game of this universe we live in.

Images, Labels, Ideas, Judgments, Assumptions... Ha... how could we ever make even a single judgment if we did not in someway or other perceive that particular attribute in ourself. And why is it so difficult to see that we can recognise that attribute in others only because that particular attribute at one level or another is a part of ourself.

What a nice place we live in... this world I mean. Isn't it wonderful that just by looking into this cosmic mirror and acknowledging that it is indeed a mirror, you can know what is it that is reflecting from you in this very moment. And can you not then use this very understanding to either change yourself if you do not like the reflection or enhance the same within you if you do like the reflection after all. How empowering !!

So I thank you for the beautiful reflection that you are in the cosmic mirror that I look at. :-)

Answer 7

Hi there, actually I think we see other people as we are, we look at them through our own biography, how else could we see anything?

When somebody does something, we think what would that mean if I did that?  Then we assume the same is true for them, do you see.  When we look at another we see ourselves.  Those in front of us are a mirror, if you really want to know what you are like look at those around you, the mirror never lies.

I have a website that deals with this you might find interesting.

http://www.dream-life-coaching.com

Good luck, I hope you enjoy.

Answer 8

Usually, it is is the latter, see others as we think they are. We have made that the nature of our mind, judging people by thoughts.But, such a mind can be quietened by emptying it of all thoughts and in that silence, empty space, things/people emerge in our consciousness/mind as they are, as it is, that leads to the enrichment and glory of life!  

Answer 9

I think it's a little of both. We see are friends and family as who they are. We may even not just label a teacher as a teacher and have a sort of friendship with them.

I do believe we see movie stars and musicians as a label because we don't know them on a personal level. We also judge them and make assumptions because of the press. Then we have are own ideas of them.

Good question.

Take care

Answer 10

Never mind *people*, we see everything as we think it is, rather than the objective reality. Because we break down things into little understandable pieces - understandable to us - and we automatically catagorise - it's a basic part of how we think. The only way we could not do this is if did not process the information about them. Processing requires reducing and adding judgements to the behavoir. We can't prevent it.

It's not a bad thing, as long as our labels, judgements etc are not to far from the objective reality. The bigger the gap, the bigger the problem.