Finalist 2

What does the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” mean to you?

I used to think the famous idiom “Don’t judge a book by its cover” had a very generic meaning. Growing up, it was another one of those “golden rules” that simplified down to being akind person. Metaphorically speaking, the cover of the book represented someone’s outward appearance, and the contents of the book were a person’s true character. With this thought process, I concluded the meaning of this quote was to battle prejudice, assumptions, and animosity by ripping the cover off every book. To give credit to my younger self, it wasn’t a half-bad idea to simply think that if the book covers caused all these issues, you would take away the issues by taking away the covers. The answer to this quote was to never act poorly to someone based on how you initially see them, and always get to know them first. This was a great solution until I soon realized it had a pretty big flaw: it is impossible

On another note, perspective is one of the most intricate and blasphemous things. The idea that we all live in the same world, but each of us has a lens that distorts how we react to it, isn’t easy to grasp. This lens, accumulated from our experiences, upbringing, beliefs, and emotions, is not like a pair of glasses that can be taken off and put back on again. It is impossible to look at someone or perceive anything without holding some sort of emotional value to what you are physically seeing. In other words, it is impossible to completely disregard someone’s cover. No matter how hard you try to force yourself to see past someone’s cover, you will always have a mental reaction to it at first, even if you don’t intend to at all. With this idea of perspective in mind, I feel the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is less about disregarding people’s covers and more about being willing to change and mediate your perspective of others.

Another reason I feel this phrase captivates accommodating each other’s covers rather than disregarding them is because reactions to others’ covers can facilitate positive and safe connections. For instance, when friends or lovers first meet, they tend to observe a cover they have a positive reaction to. By thinking more optimistically about one another before getting to know each other, both parties are more likely to make an initial step, get along, and create a lasting relationship. On the other hand, a positive reaction to someone’s cover does not always prompt healthy relationships. It is possible to look at others so optimistically from the start that you lose sight of toxic factors within the relationship. In this situation, the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” serves as a reminder to keep a “happy medium” when first meeting others. It’s healthy to always be excited about new social interactions, but try not to blindside yourself and chase a misinterpretation.

Similarly to having a positive reaction to someone’s cover, despite popular belief, negative reactions to others’ covers can also create safe connections. Everyone finds themself in a situation where they feel like they “won’t click” with another person; that’s just life! Whether it’s differentiating attitudes, boundaries, or even beliefs, sometimes it is for the best for two people to respectfully live their own lives. The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” again serves as a reminder to keep a “happy medium”. Don’t allow yourself to sever potential connections because of discrimination, but also be aware that everyone has a spidey sense for a reason!

As I have grown my meaning for the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” I have found it to be one of both self-mediating and reflection. It’s neither intelligent nor kind to let someone’s cover completely dictate how you think about them, but by allowing yourself to see others’ cover in a healthy manner it can be easy to facilitate many safe and positive relationships. I believe this phrase truly means to never let your perspective warp someone’s cover, and to be both careful and excited when meeting others.