Never overestimate anyone....Never underestimate anyone
Every time we meet someone for the first time our subconscious makes assumptions about that person. This automatic thinking is based on the old ‘fight or flight’ response. It is looking to identify anything that may harm us so we can be prepared to protect ourselves.
One of the great stories of our time is when Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met…….
It was the height of the Cold War but some change was afoot with the new Russian Leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the American President Ronald Reagan meeting with their top aides. As the story goes, after many hours of heated argument any chance of common ground seemed to be slipping away. But then something unique happened. Ronald Reagan stood up from his chair and everyone stopped talking. He walked around the table to the Russian side and up to Gorbachev, offered his hand and said “Hi, my name’s Ronnie. Let’s take a walk in the garden”
The problem is the assumptions our subconscious makes about people that we hold as true, until we experience something different. Guilty until proven innocent. This is what leads to ignorance and intolerance.
Have a look at this on a global scale. Every Muslim is a terrorist. Every American is a loud arsehole. Every Ginger is angry.
This is what leads to conflict (especially with angry gingers) and once the conflict starts, it just reinforces our view of that person and the cycle continues.
Become aware of your thinking and try and break the cycle next time. Remember what Ronald Regan did and what it ultimately lead to.