We make a serious mistake in judging others when, in truth, we are not sure about the correctness of such a course of action. Once we make a negative judgment it will be reflected in our behavior and dealings. A pronouncement of such judgment is all the more damaging. A person’s behavior is decided by many factors and the specific circumstances in which he or she is placed. It is difficult for any other person to have a complete knowledge of this background as they analyze such conduct and reach a judgment. Therefore, it is good to postpone judgment, and better still, not to pronounce judgments drawn on the basis of incomplete facts.
We should learn to try and postpone our reaction to any given situation rather than respond impulsively. With sustained practice, we should be able to reach a stage where we can easily withhold such reactions. This is particularly necessary in situations where we are not sure about an issue or fail to take a dispassionate view of the concerned problem.
Many problems can be handled well if we try some rationalization. We may go into the details of why and how a thing happens and what its implications could be. We may come to realize that all is not lost and a way out is available. We can rationalize by thinking that something is a temporary and isolated incident based on which no generalization need be made. We may think that it is a passing phase and the situation would change. We may discover that it is because of our own indifference or neglect that things are bad. We may then amend ourselves and the situation will be better. We may analyze the immediate and long-term implications of a situation and assure ourselves that it is not as serious as it appears on the face of it. There are many ways in which we can rationalize a situation and unearth the prospect of its resolution.
Source – Excerpts from article titled 'Living with Tension' By Dibakar Chakrabarti in October 2005 issue of Prabuddha Bharata Magazine