Don’t criticise what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes – Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
This famous line is attributed to Elvis Presley, The King of Rock and Roll – also, a powerful reminder that one needs to restrain one’s judgement about their fellow human beings.
At its core, “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes” means that often people end up judging others without knowing anything about them.
We see a beggar sitting under a tree, begging for a coin or two and some immediately end up telling him to “find some work”. But before judging, we should pause and ask ourselves: “Do I know this person? Do I know what he has been through or do I know of his struggles?”
If the answer is a “no”, we should refrain from making any further judgments without the context.
But in this age, we often judge others without knowing their struggles, context, or choices.
Like Plato put it beautifully, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle”, everyone has their own struggles and demons that they fight every day. They carry an unseen picture – personal battles, financial stress, emotional burdens or past experiences – that shape their lives and actions.
Without a full picture, it is unfair to pass on one’s judgements.
In today’s world, social media has made snap judgement almost effortless. They come quickly, and leave with a trail of another battle that needs to be acknowledged or fought now. Ad the cycle continues.
Today, people take seconds to form opinions, react, criticise, and leave unnecessary remarks on others’ lives – and sometimes, others also tag along.
At work, before judging a colleague’s performance, consider unseen constraints. Before you make judgement, ake a moment to speak with your colleague and understand why they did what they did.
In public discourse, avoid quick outrage without understanding the full story.
Similar quotes from famous persons:
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it – Harper Lee
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care – Theodore Roosevelt
Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud – Maya Angelou
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible – Dalai Lama
Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always – Plato
Understanding is a two-way street – Eleanor Roosevelt