Ecotrain QOTW: Should we judge other people according to our own values...

The short answer is no, this is not a smart way to live. Best to simply aim for treating all beings with compassion irrespective of how they treat us.

This post is my en-train response to the Ecotrain QOTW, title as above...

One can still make it very clear through one's actions what one's own moral standards are without judging others by one's own self-determined standards.

For example, one may lead a low impact, peaceful, vegan lifestyle without ever speaking ill of people who rather lead violent, high consumption lifestyles.

It is also possible to explain why one thinks low impact/ peace are better than high consumption/ violence without pointing one's finger at any particular person.

Personally I think this is one of the most positive uses people can be making of blogs and social media - to publicise/ explain the values behind one's actions.

This can all be done without pointing the finger at specific people who manifest different values to one's 'self'.

IF a low-impact/ vegan/ peaceful value-action system is more beneficial for one's 'self' and others than a violent one - then this should be obvious to others even without one berating other people for not leading their lives according to one's own values.

The reason it should be obvious is that a life lived according to peace should result in a happier, more peaceful self - the kind of self other people wish to be like.

On meeting such a self, other selves should be inclined to ask 'why are they so happy, happier than me?' and, on enquiring into this, discover that leading a life based on the values of peace they themselves will be better off also.

Note here that all of this can be realised without one self judging another. In the process above the peaceful-happy self in practice displays a 'better' standard against which a less peaceful less happier self may come to judge themselves, and thenewith resolve to change their values to align with peace/ happiness.

The problem with the above is that selves have to be aware and receptive to changing themselves for the better.

However, if a self isn't receptive then judging that self as inferior to one's 'self' in some way probably isn't going to make another self more receptive to change, it's more likely to get their back up which could lead to two selves conflicting.

And given that both selves are an illusion, that would be completely pointless.

At least I think that's how non judgement is supposed to work according to this self's loose interpretation of Buddhism.

A shorter answer

Might have been.... better to concern ourselves with our own path to enlightenment, because Lord knows we've all got enough to work on ourselves!

And with any luck if we focus on improving ourselves rather than judging others, then maybe this will rub off positively on a few other people along the way!