“Should I size up people when I meet them?” (Quora)
Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Should I size up people when I meet them?“
When we meet someone, we hold two images within: One is our impression of the person we meet, and the other is our own image. We then start comparing how much our thoughts, desires and expectations meet what we want in relation to this stranger. In other words, we meet an image of a person, and picture them within ourselves in a certain way for the time being. Later, we might change how we view them.
We stand in front of a picture that we depict within. First of all, it is not the person as they are, but the way we depict them within ourselves, i.e. it could be very far from how things really are, and perhaps we are prejudiced on the matter, and so on.
We then start working with the image that forms within us. We do not relate to the person who is in front of us, because we do not actually see them. We see them to the extent in which we depict them within.
We then start interacting with this image. That is, we influence the person and feel how they influence us. Accordingly, we examine whether we formulated this image correctly to begin with or not.
Throughout the interactions we have toward each other, we constantly adjust our opinion about the other person, whether or not they are better or worse than the image we had of them, and where they fit in terms of several areas that interest us, for example, in terms of politics, education, culture, their outlook on life, and so on.
There are many parameters by which we examine people, and the impression we receive in relation to these parameters gives us an image of a person whom we meet and interact with. That image constantly changes, acquiring a new shape and form.
Based on the video “What Happens When You Meet Somebody?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Yael Leshed-Harel. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by kabita Darlami on Unsplash.
