For starters, they seem to forget that they themselves are not perfect. They don't like others to judge them unfairly, and yet that's precisely what they're doing.
They live each day under the false premise that they are somehow "better" than others, which entitles them to pass judgment on people they may not even know that well.
In the absence of information, they can only go by what they see. So if the person casting a critical eye notices another wearing, say, a "tacky" sweater, they might assume the person is poor or lacks any fashion sense. In the worst cases, they might go a step further and speculate that the person has a lousy love life.
As I've noted before, some people try to compensate for their own perceived shortcomings by focusing on those they "detect" in others. In fact, they may even attribute their own flaws and weaknesses to other people -- a defense mechanism known as projection. It's a convenient way to shift blame when one refuses to own up to their mistakes or acknowledge their own imperfections.
Unfortunately, many of the people we deal with are not, shall we say, deep thinkers; they prefer taking mental shortcuts because it's quick and easy.
For example, they might surmise that because Becky is quiet at work, she must be stuck-up or anti-social. But what if she's new and still learning the ropes? What if she prefers to keep it professional in the workplace, but is a party animal away from the office? It may very well be that she has a quiet, unassuming demeanor, but that doesn't make her a bad person or unreliable employee.
What people who have a penchant for judging others should actually do is make a conscious effort to get to know the people they're sizing up. That way, they can get their facts straight and (hopefully) come to the realization that passing judgment only results in gossip, speculation, and inaccurate information.
People need to stop jumping to conclusions without knowing the facts. Rather than rushing to judgment, they ought to mind their own business.
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