Defeating prejudices... one at a time!

 So I usually consider myself quite non-judgmental. And at my best, I really am open-minded and unprejudiced. Unconventional ideas, differences of opinion, “unorthodox” choices, diverse thought processes... I am game. I was riding this wave of self-righteousness of being “open”, when life really humbled me, as it always does.

I had held a belief for a long time that changing jobs is a sign of growth. People who stayed at the same company for a long time amazed me. Irrespective of the fact that almost all of my closest friends have had long stints with the same organizations.

Here is where my prejudice set in. My thoughts ranged from “Aren’t they bored?” “How can they go to the same place every day?” “How can they talk with the same people day in and day out?” and the absolute worse “They are afraid of change”.

And then one day I had someone who not only highlighted this prejudice but also made me confront it. “Affective commitment” is a concept I had read during post-graduation. It talks about the “desire” to stay in an organization, not fear or obligation. I witnessed this concept in real life when I heard them talk about the poignant moments that they have shared with the organization. How their organization was a constant during their highs and lows. How some instances have been permanently etched in memory.

And at one point while describing the journey their voice cracked with emotion… that’s when I realized what I had missed. I had never felt that, and it’s a real shame. Ironically I was everywhere, but still nowhere. Was it my own fear of getting emotionally attached, or being afraid that someone might figure out my vulnerabilities... Nah, let's just blame it on my fickle mind. Pros and cons to everything, but now I could at least see and even feel the other side. My bigotry was utterly and utterly destroyed.

Some conversations work as mirrors… On to becoming a slightly less judgmental individual. The journey will go on…