Judgement vs. Discernment

Hey Gang,

As we prepare for Great Lent we have small "prep stations" baked into the year to keep us on track and help to ensure we have a smooth, mindful fast. For example, this past Sunday was "Judgement Sunday" (https://www.youtube.com/live/vQqf8_t33R0?si=c-YTPuQLqXCeULNv&t=4630).

Now if you grew up the way I did, you had "one world" and one set of values at home and "another world" with a secondary public set of values in the great wide world outside the house... Different things were considered "right" or "good" or "just"... and the problem of reconciling and maintaining the delicate balance of right or wrong that could apply to both worlds is something you've always had to grapple with... OOOF!

Today we're told not to judge... not to be critical... and yet we teach logic and critical thinking.... So today I'm writing to get my students thinking critically about the terms Judgement and Discernment.

What is Judgment anyway?

Basically judging (a contest, a case, etc.) is the simple act of making a final decision about the facts or situation at hand.

• Is based on values, beliefs, or biases within the community or circle in which it is being deliberated.
• Can lead to a positive or negative outcome for those involved.
• Is typically declared to be final (like a sentence being passed) but can be subject to appeal.

What is Discernment?

Discernment is a form of critical thinking. It's the process of understanding and evaluating something objectively. It's a conscious effort to be objective and unbiased in one's assessment of a person, situation, etc.?

• Requires insight and wisdom to allow a person to make informed decisions.
• Requires careful consideration of the moral facts and implications of a situation.
• Requires mindfulness and a strong moral compass.
• Synonyms: Sharp, Keen, Perceptive, Astute, Insightful, and Knowledgeable.

Why is it important to be a Discerning person?

An individual who functions with a high level of emotional intelligence, empathy, compassion, perception, wisdom and good judgment is considered discerning because they are able to distinguish between critical (important) and noncritical (unimportant) details, fake claims, etc.?

Characteristics

• Analytical: Thinks through situations and make sound decisions;
• Honest: Honest with themselves, others, and the facts;
• Intuitive: Pick up on subtle patterns and nuances;
• Thoughtful: Consider the long-term consequences of their actions;
• Open-minded: Consider other perspectives and submit their ideas to scrutiny.?

Examples

• Discerning Taste of an art critic, stylist, architect, etc. in assessing the quality and style of a work of art, a design, etc.?
• Discerning Leadership is able to balance competing priorities, work with a variety of personalities and individuals with varying skills, etc.

Focus Question: Why's it important to learn to be discerning in 2025?

As a first genner it's been infinitely important to cultivate an above average level of resilience and patience, a gamer's mentality and a discerning mindset. And they're still critical skills today. My "learning languages" were "traditional" global languages that helped me form the logical and cultural constructs I use as a coach/instructor, administrator and student/young professional advocate; the majority of my skillset is for front-facing interactions, with a few backend skills needed to build sustainable constructs for courses, programs and publications. NextGen "learning languages" increasingly includes a heavier degree of backend skills (coding/programming/etc.) coupled with a new set of front-facing skills that will (finally) allow for the strategic debunking of old constructs that misuse the dignity of the first-ever safe space (Plato's Academy) in favor of new, revised, more inclusive safe space that embraces the original mission of what The Academy was designed to protect and provide.

And that, my dear readers, is why I stand there and yammer on excitedly for three-hour spurts to get you to understand the nuances of critical thinking, the sliding prioritization scales modeled in "A is for Aristotle" and the beauty of the Academy as it originally was devised by my favorite VC, Plato. ;)

Wishing you all a great week ahead!