“Bloody f***er lah!”
You would have heard if you watched my dashcam camera footage. I had an interesting encounter on the road today that got me thinking about the concept of the mirrored self. So, this impatient driver almost brushed past my car and honked at me angrily, and I found myself getting all worked up and responding with aggression in my driving.
Of course, in the heat of the moment, I was gripped by this aggression. I was angry, and it took a while to cool down, but later, when I reflected on it, I realized that I had created an “Impatient” dark self within me by perceiving the other driver as impatient. It takes one to perceive one, right?
It reminded me about how this phenomenon applies to other judgments we make about people. When we label someone with any attribute, good or bad, we may unknowingly create those traits within ourselves, even if only in our minds. It’s like a little mirror reflecting back at us.
It’s a reminder that our perceptions are subjective and may not always reflect the reality of others. It’s so easy to get caught up in snap judgments and assumptions, but taking a step back to question our perceptions can lead to greater self-awareness and empathy.
I mean, let’s face it, we’re all flawed and complex human beings. We may not always understand the motivations of others, and that’s OK. But it’s important to be mindful of our thoughts and judgments, and to approach others with compassion and understanding.
But, as a part of my journey, I do not blame or scold myself either. Recall my realisation that every action has an equal reaction? If I strongly blame myself, I am just putting more energy into suppressing that part of myself, and that energy has to come from somewhere else. Again, by judging, I just created another mirror, and the cycle never ends.
Have you ever noticed your own mirrored self in your judgments of others?
- Image was not real, generated on MJ and mirrored (ironically) because while the system knows how Singapore streets look, it couldn’t get that we were right-hand drive