Divisions

The other day I was with a group of friends, and one of them was talking about how somebody she has a crush on is choosing to skip college and move straight on to farming instead. And the other people started making fun of him. (Maybe they weren't actually. Maybe I just imagined it, because I do that sometimes. But it seemed pretty harsh.)

How is somebody's choice to skip college something to be mocked? What does it even matter?

A little after this, I reread Emma, by Jane Austen And you know what everybody does in this novel? Judge people based on social status. That Mr. Martin, he is far too low for people of the likes of Emma Woodhouse to associate with. And the Coles, trying to associate with the really genteel classes even though they only gained their standing through trade. How awful.
(As a note, I do realize that Emma's society was based upon these class distinctions.)

Do we really want these divisions in our lives? Do we really want to assume things about people based merely on the outward 'evidences' that we can see? Do we want to assume that we are better than others, and that others are better than we are, based merely upon these silly things?

I don't, anyway. And though I do sometimes make judgments on initial introductions still, I am trying not to. because I want a better, happier life. I hope you do, too.