This precedes every other limitation to Mechanism of Understanding.
Everyone in the world is guilty of this in one way or the other. Most people are quick to assume who people are, based on their past behaviours or what people had said about them. While it could be good at times, for security reasons, it has done more harm than good. It is very good not to judge people by their past behaviours, good or bad until you find out they are still the same.
Sometimes ago, in a WhatsApp group I belonged, there was a guy that I know for criticizing harshly. One day I wrote a poem and I pasted, and then came his comment, where he seemed to be riddling my poem by calling it mere rap scroll. I took offense, responded with caustic words and he was there wondering what had happened. I was so sure he was referring to me until he had to explain that he was actually commenting on a piece of rap lyrics posted just before my poem came in, which I didn’t see.
I found out and he was right. My words could not be taken back after I realized they were all unnecessary. I had to apologize and keep quiet, but doing a psychological dissection of my disgraceful actions, I realized it was because I had build a static frame of his personality in my mind; I had always seen him as someone who will do anything to make my work look ordinary, a critic who doesn’t measure his words. Of course I was wrong against him. It was a shame. But that’s what many of us do on daily basis. I tell you the truth, only a few things cripple interpersonal relationship more than that.
Limitations to Mechanism of Understanding
Crime
A major limitation to Mechanism of Understanding is crime. Under the law, once investigation proves you guilty, people won’t adopt Mechanism of Understanding in your favor. This kind of law might be jungle justice or legal laws, but whatsoever, whenever you go against the law, the law must act and this is a major limitation to Mechanism of Understanding, as no one will be willing to listen to you once you are caught in the act.
Lack of Forgiveness & Quest for Revenge
Once someone has refused to forgive and set out to revenge, it will only take a stronger force to make the person see in your own end. Earlier adoption of Mechanism of Understanding might prevent lack of forgiveness and quest for revenge, but if it was not adopted earlier, it will be hard to adopt it again when the mind is already set, though not impossible.
That was the penultimate segment, now let's move to the last segment: *Lack of knowledge of the other person*
Lack of Knowledge of the Other Person
This is another limitation to Mechanism of Understanding. A lot of us, despite we do not know people, we depend on hearsays and gossips about them, we listen to popular opinions and once they behave in such a way that people described them to be, we will assume that’s who they are. That’s wrong.
They say “first impression matters”, so once the person’s first impression conforms to those hearsays, we believe there is no need to find out any other thing or see from their own end, talk less of sympathizing with them. That’s not god enough.
It is very important to understand why people behave the way they do and sympathize with them. The worst way to try to change people is by condemning them first, especially publicly. Instead of assuming their persons with the first impressions which agrees with hearsays, ask them why they do things they do, with maximum regard that won’t appear like queries. In order to change people, you must care to know the reasons for their actions, without first condemning them. Even the most stupid people have very good reasons why they do things they do if you ask them.
The End