“Thinking is difficult. That’s why most people judge”

For some reason this somewhat enigmatic statement by Carl Jung made me think, what I thought, was a teaching of First Nation peoples that warned that one shouldn’t judge someone unless you have walked a mile in their moccasins. In other words, it’s easy to judge someone out of context.

As it turns out, after some research, this teaching did not come from First Nation traditions. Rather it comes from a poem called “Judge Softly” written by Mary Torrans Lathrap (1838-1895), who was a poet and a well-known suffragist and temperance reformer. Here is the key verse in her poem:

“Pray do not find fault with the man who limps,

Or stumbles along the road.

Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,

Or stumbled beneath the same load.”

This same sentiment is echoed in the New Testament in Matthew7:12:

“Judge not, lest ye be judged. Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eyes?”

Jesus’ message is that we’re all imperfect, and no one can live up to a state of perfection….that is why judging is wrong.

Later in her poem Lathrap writes:

“Don’t sneer at the man who is down today,

Unless you have felt the same blow

That caused his fall, or felt the shame

That only the fallen know.”

And, finally she writes this verse:

“Just walk a mile in his moccasins,

Before you criticize and accuse.

If for one hour, you could find a way

To see through his eyes, instead of your muse.”

To my mind, Mother Teresa may have said it best when she said:

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

A profound truth, if there ever was one! In Mother Teresa’s statement we find the inherent danger of judging others…the lack of empathy.

Lack of empathy can have negative consequences for our sense of community, and perhaps, the prospect of a global response to climate change.

In an article in the Globe and Mail (Jan. 2, 2021, Opinion section, page 7) Marta Zaraska write an article entitled: “As we enter 2021, remember that a little empathy goes a long way.”

In the article she quotes President Obama who once said, “we live in a culture that discourages empathy.” Obama blames the empathy crisis on selfish impulses promoted by our culture:  to be entertained, famous, thin and rich.  Zaraska goes on to write that, “Smart phones are likely another part of the story – research suggests that a mere presence of a mobile phone makes us experience others as less empathetic.”

 Jeremy Rifkin, in his book ‘The Empathetic Civilization; argues that the most important questions facing humanity is: “Can we reach global empathy in time to avoid the collapse of civilization and save the Earth?”  Zaraska also notes that lack of empathy damages our health!  She notes that research shows that “high empathy improves usually means better friendships and better marriages.”

As a comparison, “eating six servings of fruits and vegetables can cut the danger of dying early by 26 per cent.  Meanwhile, building strong support network of friends and family lowers mortality risk by 45 per cent.  It seems empathy makes people more helpful and generous – these people are more likely to be volunteers.  Studies show that “volunteers have lower risk of high blood glucose, lower risk of high inflammation levels and spend 38 per cent fewer nights in hospitals than people who shy from involvement in charities.  And, in a pandemic – a relevant twist, volunteering may lower c-reactive protein levels, which have been implicated in preliminary research in severe outcomes of COVID-19. Experiencing empathy may also affect health directly through biological processes – it triggers the release of oxytocin (the “love” hormone).  Oxytocin makes us feel socially-connected, it has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces pain and helps bone growth, potentially preventing osteoporosis.”

Now for some good news for people who have low levels of empathy – there is hope!

Studies show that you can actually train empathy by learning to decode facial expressions, improve listening skills and mastering how to take the perspective of another person (walk a mile in their moccasins!).  Even reading books and watching emotionally charged movies can help us practice empathy.

So maybe Jung was right, if he was talking about empathy, maybe it is difficult. It seems not all people are good empathizers…it takes some work which can be time-consuming and, perhaps, difficult. If knowing being empathetic can increase your lifespan this may be enough for some people to try to hone that skill. The world would be better for it!