This content was created by Thomas Anglero. This content was uploaded by Thomas Anglero. This is a podcast episode titled "Episode 141: How not to judge people" (PODCAST) published on 2021-12-30. It features Thomas Anglero delivering a reflective solo monologue encouraging empathy and patience, urging listeners not to generalize or judge others because everyone carries complex life experiences and hidden stories. The host emphasizes asking questions, listening, and offering love and consideration.
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Welcome to the Soul of Innovation podcast. I am Thomas Anglero. And do you realize that when people look at you, they don't know your story? They don't know what you've gone through. They don't know what experiences you've lived through. To be the person that you are as you stand in front of them right now? Flip it around. When you see someone, are you able to tell who they are? What they've endured? Did they grow up cold or hungry? Did they grow up as a single child? Did they experience something traumatic? House fire? A death of a family member, car accident. The list goes on and on and on. No one, when they meet you, nor when you meet someone else, are we able to tell who this person is and what pieces of the puzzles that were put together in their past that made them who they are now. It is impossible. I had a conversation yesterday with a family member and he's not American, but when he looked at me and when he spoke about me, he just says, "Oh well, you succeeded in life because you're American." And I thought to myself, I literally, my brain stopped. It stopped being any type of intelligent because I could not fathom that Knowing this person for as many years as I know them, they just put me into this general box of, oh, you're American, that's why you made it. I thought 350 million Americans and you just being that, you make it? I don't understand that. It's just a ridiculous statement. It means that this individual just stopped at that point there. Oh, you're blah, blah, blah. So that's why you are where you are today. And I think it just reminded me, how many people invest in understanding you? How many people invest in getting to know you? And then you have to flip that question around and say, how many people do you take the time to get to know? How many people do you take the time to invest and get to understand all the pieces of their puzzle, their past? You are very complex. Everything you've gone through is very difficult to understand how it all weaved together to create who you are. And the same is true about everyone you meet. Their stories, their experience, their recollections, their trauma, the love that they've had, the things that they've seen. The tears that shed down their face and when it happened, why it happened, and the intensity by which it came out of their eyes. And they felt it in their heart. This is the things that define us. And I was reminded yesterday when he told me, "Oh, you made it in life because you're American." He took my entire life and just said, "Because of the country I'm born in." I made it. Wow. Who you are, no one will understand. But when you meet someone who's willing to take the time, that's a special someone. But flip it around. When you take the time, when you meet someone to ask the questions and really get to know them, then that's a wonderful thing that you're doing, but then you actually are meeting someone. So let me ask you a question: how many people do you ask the right questions? How many people do you actually listen to, to get to know them? How many times in your past have you just generalized someone in a box and saying, oh, well, you're 'Oh, you're born from here, so therefore you're fine.' It's insulting. It's insulting if somebody does that to you. 'Oh, you're from this side of town, you're fine.' 'Oh, you're born from that family, then you're fine.' 'Oh, you went to that school? Oh, you're okay.' These generalizations are so, so painful because you've had a difficult time. You've had a difficult life and people don't invest. People don't see it. They generalize. But be careful because we do the same thing to others, haven't you? I just want to remind you, as I remind myself, that everyone we meet has a story. Everyone we meet has a button that if you press, you will tap into the love, love that you've been missing in your life, love in a smile and a look of admiration that will lift your spirits. And they have another button that will tap into their sorrow. We are complex people. Living a complex life with other people. And therefore we all have a story. Go forth and spread beauty and light. And remember, every time you speak to someone, their behavior, their hair color, the choices of the clothes they have, All comes from something that happened in their past that made them make the decisions they made at this moment to look, to stand, to speak, to exist the way they do. That's also your story. Something in your past has made you who you are today, to make you look the way you are today, dressed the way you are today, to smile or not to smile. To stand erect or to stand a little bit hunchbacked or to hide or to be shy. We all have complex lives. We all deserve a little extra patience. We all deserve a little extra consideration and not to be so judgmental on others as we don't want others to be judgmental on us. You want love, you have to give love. Don't be so harsh with your thoughts, don't be so harsh with your words, and be generous with your love. I'm Thomas Anglero. Reminding you who you are and reminding myself of who I am. I love you all. Until next time.
