Chapter 36
Don't Judge Others By Your Own Standards
OF CATO THE YOUNGER [“I am not possessed with this common errour, to judge of others according to what I am my selfe. I am easie to beleeve things differing from my selfe. Though I be engaged to one forme, I do not tie the world unto it, as every man doth. And I beleeve and conceive a thousand manners of life, contrary to the common sorte.” —Florio, ed. 1613, p. 113.] I am not guilty of the common error of judging another by myself. I easily believe that in another’s humour which is contrary to my own; and though…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice Generous Judgment
Think of someone whose recent success or good deed you initially questioned or felt suspicious about. Write down your first reaction, then deliberately practice Montaigne's generous judgment—what's the most positive interpretation of their actions? Notice what changes in how you feel about both them and yourself.
Consider:
- •Your initial suspicion might reveal more about your own insecurities than about their motives
- •Generous judgment doesn't mean being naive—it means choosing the better interpretation when evidence is unclear
- •Notice how cynicism affects your own capacity to do good—when we expect the worst from others, we often deliver it ourselves
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone judged your good intentions harshly. How did it feel? How might you avoid doing this to others, and what would change in your relationships if you practiced generous judgment consistently?
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