In Updike’s article he discusses the fact that people have the nature to judge others as a primary instinct. The moment a person walks through a door he or she is judged on their appearance. Whether, the thoughts being good or bad, a person always encounters judgmental thoughts. Updike shows this through his article how a nineteen year old boy judged three young girls that walked into the store only wearing bikinis. This is a prime example of how human nature reacts to the environment. The article is written in the view of a young boy’s eyes and how he picks apart every detail about each girl that comes in and the way she looks. Sammy, the young boy, was so enchanted by “the queen” or the main girl in the group that when she gets embarrassed, by his manager, he stood up for her and quit his job. Yet, he did not even know her name. Sammy only knew that she looked good on the outside, but had no idea what was on the inside. He followed his instincts and chose to stand up for the girls and in return they never even gave him a chance. In the end, the girls were long gone, and Sammy was left without and job or a girl. Updike’s article proves the fact that we humans act on assumptions alone for many choices. Sammy assumed that the girls would wait on him or thank him for what he did, but that was not the case. Sammy learned the hard way that our nature as humans is one based on judgment and that not all judgments are the same.
I agree with Abby’s opinions. In today’s society our first instinct is to judge someone as soon as we see them. The quote, “judging a book by its cover” comes in mind. Before we even know a person for who they really are on the inside we already think we know them by the way they dress, look, and act.
I agree entirely. I also like that you added the fact that Sammy didn’t even know her name.
Judging someone in today’s society has almost become a persons first instinct. I totally agree with what Abby said in her response. Before someone gets to know a person they begin to start looking at them, and think they know everything about them. Just because someone dresses or looks different does not mean they are completely normal.
Dang, that’s a good point. He did learn the hard way. Without a job and a girl, he was out of luck. Makes me wonder what he was thinking. Even if he got the girl, it’s not like he could take her out, because he quit his daggum job! Hahaha. Maybe you’re right about humans being judgmental, because I’m only assuming that he would be out of money without the grocery store job based on the fact that he would quit his job to chase tail. And guys like that are never hard workers. No work ethic. No way he’d get another job and keep it while having a girlfriend. That’s all there is to it.