Judging other's by their appearance...

I never put much thought into something like this before, but I notice that sometimes when other guys find out that my wife is into anime/manga/video games, they tend to say something along the lines of "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed that. You don't look like the type of girl who'd be interested in those things". It just makes me think "what is someone who is into those things supposed to look like?". :/ It doesn't make much sense to me. How can someone's looks determine what they're like and what they're interested in? They can't, really. Making assumptions about someone based off of physical appearances isn't really fair, and it kind of pisses me off whenever that sort of thing happens to my wife. Why do some people do that? What are your guys' thoughts on this?

I don't always judge people by their appearances.

Probably why I have lots of friends though.

'Judging a Book by its Cover' isn't really all that great.

Since we don't have the time to get to know every single human we see, judging people based on how they look is pretty reasonable. You can learn a lot about some people just by looking at them.

It's very human to assume that people who look like X should do Y if most people you know who does Y look like X.

It's cool that there are other people out there who don't do that. I'm the same way. I don't judge others, and I also have a lot of friends.




I guess that's true in a way. It's not something that's always accurate, though. There's always people that are the complete opposite of what they appear to be, and get unfairly judged.

i tend not to judge by looks but usually i use it to compare their personality. (like mini sherlock holmes (bbc)) from their dress/hair style and makeup, speech patterns, and their small idiosyncracies can reveal a few things about their personality. I'm usually right about 60% of the time so its not that accurate. Idk y but it seems most inaccurate on black people(afroamerican) {srsly what do we call them w/o offending ppl?}
As for hobbies and activities, that's far harder to judge unless you took anatomy. I can only guess about 50% correctly judging from arm and leg muscles.

On the sidenote, i don't really judge by only appearance though i do bias on them sometimes. i tend to be outgoing anyways despite what i can guess or infer from my observations.

I think it is reasonable to judge people by appearance. To me it feels like a form of defense, sure some people look rough and tough and are actually nice people however the chances are much lower than an average looking person, or someone who dresses nice on a daily basis.

Everybody judges based on appearance in some way. It's unavoidable. For assuming peoples' hobbies and such after seeing them, it's easy to see how a person may fit into a pattern that other people with the same interests follow. I'll agree that it's not fair to judge a person by the way they look on the outside but it happens regardless.

I judge people by the slogans on their T-shirts. It's only logical.

...but, no. Of course I pre-judge people based on their appearances. The key is to accept that it's a judgement based on a person you don't know, and that your assumption is only that - an assumption. You're allowed to be surprised someone didn't conform to your pre-established judgement. And you're allowed to judge people. Just don't CONDEMN them for that judgement.

Of course, this is true. People tend to compare others due to appearance, especially if that person is new to them, or at first glance.

But when you get to know the person, seriously, faces will matter no more.

I find judging people by the appearance reasonable, at times reliable. The appearance can sometimes tell more about a person than you might already know. Some people have 2 faces...

My personal opinion is that a person's appearance should be taken into consideration but not to that extend.I'd rather not just rely on the other's appearance because sometimes it can mislead.

I'm not to knowledgeable in this, but do appearance really that matter? well i supposed so in these recent year more people judging people based on look.

I disagree! Tell me do you know how to tell a person if they ever commit a murder or ordering a mass murder by looking to some one appearance? for example how could you tell that our former president MR George W B will not ordering an attack? i think no one can answer that.

my theory in this was 'sub-concious effect' it's a mind phenomenon that takes place without us knowing it, thus make the person believe by looking at the appearance. For an example take 2 person that has a very good looking but doesn't have much money and have them wear a tuxedo and another 2 with average looking but have a lot money then make them wear a cheap t-shirt.

After that called 30 to 40 girls and ask them their opinion on each of these guy, but before that put these guy on a separate room.

I think mostly of them will go to the handsome one.

This is what i called a 'sub-concious effect' were their sub-concious will guide these girl without knowing their economic position.

Judging a person by their appearance are bad move if you have to do so, it means 'never judge a book by it's cover'.

I've observed a lot of people with their appearances and behaviors, not scientifically of course, just generally speaking. The appearances do play a part with what sometimes a person would like someone else to perceive of them whether consciously or unconsciously but not truly defining that person just a small facet of themselves.

I think people tend to assume the other person's traits or personality is based on what they have been conditioned to think if ever they encounter such a person. To me it's just how we are brought up to perceive certain things and accept it for what it is instead of prodding and knowing it truly. (A bit redundant, sorry)

I agree that it is unfair that people would judge you right away based on what you are externally but sadly that is how the world is currently. But at least you can rest easy knowing that perhaps the future will change based on your thoughts on this and what you may one day pass on to your children or show others.

As for me, yes I am guilty of sometimes judging others but for the most part I know that there is more to that person than meets the eye.

I kinda wanna say autobots roll out now...

Societal archetypes is what it is, really. People tend to see everyone as fitting into a number roles guided by their personal experience and societal norms. So when you first meet someone, you categorize them into one of these roles based on the little information you receive at the beginning. It makes it easier for us to organize the people we meet on the fly.

Of course, once you learn more about these people and their individual quirks, it becomes harder to fit them into just one or two of these models. Whatever image they had of your wife beforehand was augmented by their learning that she liked anime, thus breaking her out of whatever role they had placed her into [and hence, why they voiced their surprise].

The saying goes "don't judge a book by its cover", but it's kind of hard to not let that first impression impact us when "the cover" is the first [and often times the only] thing that we see.

Well, Don't judge a book by its cover, but the first thing that caught your eyes must be its cover, right? After you take it, you read it, and you wouldn't expect it to be like that, since the cover is quite deceiving, you didn't expect that coming.

Just like how people are, they are not judging, they simply didn't know what's inside. So they didn't see that coming, and bam!

I personally don't like stereotyping people, i know i am probably guilty of it it but still. I prefer to read a book before i judge it because face value never gives the right impression.

That said, people in general will always have preconceptions on what people should be like. This often leads to misunderstanding people and just general stupidity. For instance, i had a friend a while ago and he like to wear leather, has a mohawk and beard. Most people are scared of him because he looks "scary". But once you get to know him he is a nice guy who does beautiful landscape art and a huge taste in music. But if you didn't they all thought he was a metal head anarchist who spends his time beating people up at night.

This along with the media coming along and telling everyone what they should like to be "trendy" leading to mainstream people having no personality at all when they are around others. When it really comes down to it we are part of a society that like to think that everybody was made out of perfect clean cast's for easy rendering.



I agree with this also though, quite often people tend to do this because it make's life easier when you meeting new people.

I'll admit to doing it on occasion, which is sad because I know I am on the receiving end. I'll admit that, while not employed, I don't keep my hair groomed (as in my hair is always all over the place when I don't have my head shaved) and I also have bad genes when it comes to growing my beard, so if I haven't shaved for a long period of time I look like a damn hobo.

I try to think about that whenever I go out, but often times when I'm out grocery shopping or whatever I know I look like shit, and don't care too much in the process. I try to remind myself of that, and not to do the same thing to others around me. I mean, there is a difference between unhygienic people and those people who simply give no fuss to their outward appearance.

Sometimes appearances DO make me know what kinda people the guy was.
A thug, forexample, can be in a suit, but you don't wanna go near him when you see his face, right?

Love it! Say it proudly! xD



On a serious note, There's a lot of good answers on here. :) I'm impressed. A lot of you have brought up some very valid points. I'm still not crazy about making judgments off of appearances, but you guys are right about it sometimes being the only thing you can go off of.