Impression reigns or last?

I have been teaching English to foreign students for a quite long time now, and I pretty much aware of how to start having a conversation with them through asking them some common queries, like about their backgrounds, dislikes, and favorites. Their answers somehow give me a little hint and some ideas about what kind of person they are and perhaps judge their personalities. I might say I am judging them based on how they answer me and what they say, thus I might sound pretty judgmental now, but I don't have any choice at all. As a teacher, I ought to know my students' personalities so that I may know how to deal with them accordingly whether my first impression of them may be right or not. This next essay is about summarizing and responding. The essay, which I choose to summarize and to respond, is entitled Playing Favorites: It is All in Our Heads. Even though the essay is not that popular, this short essay captures my interest because it tells us to be more keen and sensitive in making a judgment about all the things and beings that surround us.

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Essay #4 Summarizing and Responding How Favorites and First Impression Play it All There is an adage that is commonly heard from our society, and that is "first impressions last". The essay "Playing Favorites: It is All in Our Heads" by Cody Keller, talks about the key role of the cause and effects of favoritism in our daily lives. Keller writes that how we judge something or someone is based on the first impression we make on looks, dress or social status. He believes that playing favorites is one form of injustice because only the superficial character is seen. This is very crucial because we can neither tell nor judge the whole personality of somebody within a few minutes only.

In the first paragraph, the writer cites a psychological action that may trigger someone in picking favorites. The cause is determined by the minute and tiny neurons inside of the human brain and science has called it "amygdala". These neurons help people retrieve and recover prior experiences in order to produce the first impression over something or someone. By this ability, people are equipped to weigh things and to make judgments and evaluation about other people. Keller gives three effects that may result from picking favorites.

In his third paragraph, Keller gives first harmless effect and he supports it by giving an example of a particular person who suddenly changes his mind to buy an adorable mutt which appears to be a kind dog at first but turns out to be a beast when it starts to bark. A quick change of decision happens for the reason that the emotional response, which is part of the past memories dwelling of the human brain, is unconsciously restored.

How true this is. I remember one time; I am fond playing cats and bird around when I am still young. But I choose cats over birds because I like the color of the cat's fur and they look so cute. I adopt a cat but I cannot bring it at home because my grandmother dislikes pet, so I always visit the cat outside of our house. There comes a time when I am enjoying playing and chasing with it, the cat unexpectedly bites my index finger. Because of sudden panic, I run home and tell my grandmother what happened. While reprimanding me, she heals the wound by putting crushed garlic on my finger. Now, I cannot appreciate cats anymore, especially gray cats neither will decide to pet one. This result, according to Keller, is a positive effect played by the prior knowledge or memories so a certain person can decide again his choices.

In his second effect of favoritism, Keller describes how weak first impression neglect true and deserving people. He supports it by stating an obvious situation-- politics. For Keller, it is where people commonly misled their decision by picking someone who appears with full of charisma and rapport but later on becomes an unpleasing person, over a less sociable candidate who has a true heart in serving people. Because of this misperception, candidate number one wins the election. Keller points out the harmful effect of favoritism which makes people will be clouded by concerning only what they see in the facade and often disregard on getting another person better. I agree with the point Keller wants to convey. The second effect is somewhat true on Election Day. Needless to say, candidates who triumph in Election Day both in the country and in school are those people who are already known for being confident and zealous. In the other hand, I believe that this effect has its negativity and positivity and it is just partly injustice because it is innate for people to vote the candidate who shows enthusiasm and self-esteem and to doubt the capabilities of another candidate who shows less of themselves. People only pick their favorite because they see future advantages that someone may bring in the school. Besides who would want to vote someone who appears unsure of himself?

The third and last harmful effect of favoritism Keller writes is that it can be seen anywhere. He writes how favoritism affects the decision of getting someone into reputable college, of receiving a scholarship, and of getting the highest grade of English advanced writing courses. He clearly says that achieving something for some people is not about how huge abilities and capabilities he has but how many references he knows to help him get what he wants. That is where injustice and unfairness begins. Like what Keller says, I also believe that favoritism somewhat gives partiality to other people. This proves that elite people are given priorities than poor people. The former receives an adequate service and assistance whether in public or private places than the latter one. In school matters, student A who has rich family background becomes the top student instead of student B who has nothing but determination and intelligence to perform well in school. First impressions become our bases and turn as our favorites. Human, as we are, has our own preferences and aversions, these shows how we like or dislike something or someone. Nevertheless, we should not forget to become fully aware of what is really happening and not just on relying only on what our brains have perceived. We cannot have a clear and complete perception or the idea of something or someone easily and instantly.

We need more time and experience to entirely know the whole being. Individuals should check and monitor their favorites because not all they thought and assumptions are true and not all their judgments are correct. If proven mistaken we should choose to decide and what is right for the benefit of others and to ourselves. Knowing our favorites or non-favorites and its true identities is a way to stop and prevent possible injustice and prejudice to other people.

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