Alright Mossfinn...I'll get the ball rolling.

Apparently we are not supposed to judge people, or at least not untill we've walked some distance in their shoes, but we all do make character judgements, sometimes very quickly.

Sometimes a person gives off a vibe that you feel but others don't. That popular guy that everyone likes but you just can't stand, for no specific reason but the "vibe".

Sometimes you like someone in an instant, just from the "vibe".

Like, dislike, respect, rapport, fear, loathing.... we make all sorts of snap judgements.

For me, I get vibes that usually turn out to be correct. But I'm uncomfortable with the notion of "vibes". I can't quantify or isolate the source.

One of the (relatively) quantifiable criteria that I've found works for me to understand why I make a particular judgement is to do with humour.

I find that what a person laughs at, and how they laugh, is a great litmus paper for character.

For example, a chap that guffaws at a poo poo joke will be pidgeon-holed by me. A chap that snickers at the poo poo joke will fit into a different pidgeon-hole, and a chap that guffaws at a different joke will get put into another hole.

The way one laughs, and what one laughs at.... or doesn't laugh at.

Does asnyone have an opinion on my "litmus paper"?

Does anyone have their own litmus paper?

Can anyone imagine or devise a different litmus test?

Of course, blatant characteristics such as the dishonesty of a theif or perversion of a molester are taken as a given.

The old phrase "you can't judge a book by its cover" was coined, I think, because we all do judge people instantly. It is probably an instinctual thing, that goes back quite far to when learning to judge people in an instant was the key to one's survival (and, of course, in some cases, it still is )

I make instant judgments, we all do, I try not cement those in stone and give people the benefit of the doubt as the acquaintance develops tho.

Litmus tests can be so deceptive tho, I knew this guy, dreads, tatts, pierced belly button, pierced eyebrows, weird looking guy. And one of the nicest people I have ever met, would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. So, leap to judgment if you must, but don't expect to keep the analysis once you learn more about the person.

I agree. This is why I am looking at quantifiable measures or tools. Something more concrete than vibes or looks. Something, like body language, that is hard to contrive or one wouldn't try to contrive.....something natural that is in all of us.

I suspect that your dreadlocked friend would not be one to laugh at a person falling over, or his laugh would go to his eyes when he laughed at something that he DID find funny.

I doubt you can find quantifiable means to measure how others judge people. Its all very subjective.

I think so much of it depends on the person doing the judging, their life experiences and how that has shaped their personality. I am a nice middle class girl from a good family, educated and never really been exposed to the rougher elements whereas a good friend of mine comes from a notorious Council estate in a bad neighborhood in London and grew up running with a rough crowd. People that trigger his radar do not trigger mine and signals he uses to identify/judge people are not the same ones I see.

Have you read a book by Gladwell called Blink, Harcourt?

It is all about the first couple of seconds of any situation, reading people, objects and situations.

It is a good read, if you are interested in this sort of thing I recommend it.

Blink Review

I doubt you can find quantifiable means to measure how others judge people. Its all very subjective.

I think so much of it depends on the person doing the judging, their life experiences and how that has shaped their personality. I am a nice middle class girl from a good family, educated and never really been exposed to the rougher elements whereas a good friend of mine comes from a notorious Council estate in a bad neighborhood in London and grew up running with a rough crowd. People that trigger his radar do not trigger mine and signals he uses to identify/judge people are not the same ones I see.

Hmmmm. That makes sense.

Perhaps I will go nowhere with this thought as it IS indeed subjective and very dependant on the "judge's" own experiences.

I just thought that other people may have a device that helps make judgements.

I believe that body language is quite universal and if studied it can show fairly reliable information to the observer.

I'm suggesting the type of laugh, and the timing of the laugh, may be something akin to body language in that it shows a deeper part of the subject/laugher.

Coming back to subjectivity.....I suppose if you had never been exposed to, for example, an "evil" or "sick" laugh, you wouldn't be good at using this yardstick.

Still...the laugh thing works for me. I was curious to know what others might have, if anything.

Thanks, Mossfinn, Ill keep an eye out for that book.

I am a horrible judge of character, I assume niceness until proven otherwise. Makes my life much more pleasant to not see negativity and nastiness wherever I go. Sure, occasionally I have had a few bad experiences but nothing too horrible. Needless to say, neither do I allow myself to be put in situations where I am at risk --or put in danger of some kind because of the location or people.

So, for instance, while I am fairly, I guess naive (?) about people, I also am aware enough to not walk into a Hells Angels or Bandidos club, for example.

But you did see Flea in his sock?!!! Was Anthony wearing his too?

Yes, saw Flea in his sock

wrong thread patsy! you want this one

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Concert-Atte...iew=getlastpost

I think we naturally pigeon-hole, whether we like the idea or not. I guess the difference is whether we do that in a negative or positive way, or in an acurate way. (I imagine that would fall somewhat into what sbk wrote). I recall reading a long time ago about we simplify and limit what we take in because our senses are constantly bombarded. A visual equivalent of skim reading. There is just no way we can stop and process every small detail, so sometimes that results in unfairly judging someone, or being surprised later on that a person turns out differently than we had initially pegged.

Silly story, but I remember at one point at uni i was going out a lot at night and drinking too much. My uni friends saw many aspects of me, and that part was just one small part. However, my bfs part-time job was working the bar at the club i regularly went to. His friends who worked there only saw the party girlfriend. One of the girls made it known she didnt like me much and started labeling me a drunken airhead..stupid comments like that. The comments got back to me and I had a bit of a moan about it to my poor bf. He said something I didnt expect, but was honest. He said that although he knows thats not true, thats all they see. Made me recall the saying "You never get a second chance to make a first impression". Although I believed i was judged unfairly, i can see how it can happen at times.

Like Thai people who only ever see farangs on holiday and assume they are all rich.

Or the farang who only hang out around bargirls and assume that every Thai woman is up for sale.

the list goes on and on.

Goes with my beautiful hair and all for sbk

I am a nice middle class girl . . .

Now there's a perfect example of "biased judgement."

I am a horrible judge of character . . .

So, sbk, are you truly a "nice" person?

Indeed, I am Tip. Contrary to popular opinion

Of course, who is the recipient of my "niceness" does depend

^I don't think I've made it a secret that I desire a little slice of that sbk.

I read this thread with great interest, especially the OP's opening thread.

Strangely I have a different take on things, I spent most of my life being paid to Judge other people, well to a certain extent anyway, sometimes life and limb could balance on my correct judgement. Strangely enuf, its a hard habit to break and I often find myself analysing people when we first meet, too often I even find myself wanting to 'take them down' but must remind myself to refrain.

Anyway, I keep a secret diary on all of you, maybe oneday I will release my findings and you will all learn a thing or two about yourselves

Silly story, but I remember at one point at uni i was going out a lot at night and drinking too much.

You had me a little worried with the start of that story eek, I thought you were just about to branch out into one of those 'superbike' stories, that sbk has laid title to in another thread.

in the past cocktail parties was where i found myself being pigeon holed so now whenever anyone ask me, what do you do? or what are you? i never give a streight answer which typically turns the tables on them quite nicely.

^I don't think I've made it a secret that I desire a little slice of that sbk.

I read this thread with great interest, especially the OP's opening thread.

Strangely I have a different take on things, I spent most of my life being paid to Judge other people, well to a certain extent anyway, sometimes life and limb could balance on my correct judgement. Strangely enuf, its a hard habit to break and I often find myself analysing people when we first meet, too often I even find myself wanting to 'take them down' but must remind myself to refrain.

Yes, removing your underwear in public isn't very wholesome.

Have you read a book by Gladwell called Blink, Harcourt?

I'm just about to start reading it.