--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Modern Americans suffer from a fear of…" description: "\"Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging. Passing judgment on the behavior of fellow human beings is considered an act of medieval, undemocratic ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/lewis-b-smedes-4850_act_modern-americans-suffer-from-a-fear-of-j_1245088.png" --- # Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging. Passing… ![“Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging. Passing judgment on the behavior of fellow human beings is considered an act of medieval, undemocratic intolerance.” quote by Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/lewis-b-smedes-4850_act_modern-americans-suffer-from-a-fear-of-j_1245088.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/lewis-b-smedes-4850_act_modern-americans-suffer-from-a-fear-of-j_1245088.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6af/lewis-b-smedes-4850_act_modern-americans-suffer-from-a-fear-of-j_1245088.png) > “Modern Americans suffer from a fear of judging. Passing judgment on the behavior of fellow human beings is considered an act of medieval, undemocratic intolerance.” [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern society fears judgment, labeling it as outdated intolerance, which discourages honest evaluation. **In simple terms:** Fear of judgment blocks honest evaluation. Key Takeaway Balance judgment with compassion. Themes society judgment intolerance fear Mood critical reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace feedback - parenting - public discourse Key Concepts ethics psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - When is judgment necessary? - How can we judge without condemning? A Different Perspective Judgment can be constructive when applied fairly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Intolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerance/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Medieval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medieval/) [Passing judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-judgment/) ## Related quotes > [ There exists in our society widespread fear of judging…\[B\]ehind the unwillingness to judge lurks the suspicion that no one is a free agent, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-exists-in-our-society-widespread-fear-of-judging-b-ehind-the/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [I'm sick of being alone & feeling sorry for myself. I can't hang around people without having fear of them judging the true me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-sick-of-being-alone-feeling-sorry-for-myself-i-can-t-hang-around/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A discontented young fellow, filled with self pride; he certainly should have considered it an honor to be sent on so respectable an embassy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zebulon-pike/a-discontented-young-fellow-filled-with-self-pride-he-certainly/) [Zebulon Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zebulon-pike/) > [It is astonishing how elements that seem insoluble become soluble when someone listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/it-is-astonishing-how-elements-that-seem-insoluble-become-soluble/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [Reason has never really directed social reality, but now reason has been so thoroughly purged of any specific trend or preference that it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-horkheimer/reason-has-never-really-directed-social-reality-but-now-reason-has/) [Max Horkheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-horkheimer/) > [You know, don't judge a person, do not pass judgement, unless you have talked to them one on one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/you-know-don-t-judge-a-person-do-not-pass-judgement-unless-you-have/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [ \[M\]ost people offend God by passing judgment on the things others do, especially important people, not knowing the reasons why they are doing what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/m-ost-people-offend-god-by-passing-judgment-on-the-things-others-do/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [I don't want someone coming in and passing judgment on my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/i-don-t-want-someone-coming-in-and-passing-judgment-on-my-life/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) > [It's easy to become very self-critical when you're an actor. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/when-one-says-i-won-t-judge-you-for-that-what-they-re-really-saying/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [“To get girls he had figured out that all you had to do was talk little, the bare minimum, and listen much, without ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sveva-casati-modignani/to-get-girls-he-had-figured-out-that-all-you-had-to-do-was-talk/) Sveva Casati Modignani > [“The move from description to prescription, from saying what happens to passing judgment on what should happen, is a creative one, a fundamentally human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-carroll/the-move-from-description-to-prescription-from-saying-what-happens-to/) [Sean Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-carroll/) > [“The most seductive sin, I suppose, is passing judgment on others, and the next must be acting out of one's anger when one has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-gavin/the-most-seductive-sin-i-suppose-is-passing-judgment-on-others-and/) Nell Gavin ## More by Lewis B. 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