We often wonder why we find some people likable and others not.

The Intricacies of Perception

We often wonder why we find some people likable and others not. This is not a random feeling, but the result of an active, deep interaction with our inner world. From early on, we learn to perceive our surroundings not passively, but through a unique prism of life experience, personal qualities, and worldviews. It is precisely this ability to discern, observe, and evaluate details that makes our perception vivid and rich.

At the core of our reaction lies not a universal standard, but individual experience—every impression, every mistake, and every discovery shapes the unique image of our "self." When we meet someone whose energy resonates with our sense of the world, an inner harmony tells us that we like them. Conversely, differences in character and perspective prompt us to reflect on our own priorities and values. In this way, every acquaintance and every impression becomes a live lesson in self-knowledge, reminding us of the subtlety of our feelings.

In conclusion, we can confidently say that our ability to choose whom to favor reflects not only our attitude toward others but also the profound process of forming our inner world. By uncovering new facets of ourselves through encounters with the diversity of human character, we continually grow, becoming more confident and integrated individuals.

How can we comprehend the fact that we are not equally fond of everyone, and what does it say about our self-perception?

Our awareness that we do not like everyone reflects the fact that our feeling and perception of the world is always a delicate process in which we do not merely passively receive impressions, but actively make sense of them through the prism of our inner world. The fact that we find some people likable and others not indicates that our sense of sympathy relies on individual qualities, impressions, and personal experiences that reflect the unique image of our "self."

For example, one excerpt states:
"Yes, the healthy, the beautiful, the cheerful, the one capable of easily being likable. And he himself greets people with a friendly smile, and people respond with a smile. But the weak, the unappealing, the sullen, the one who cannot be that way too often will get teased or even bullied. He approaches people with distrust, thinking of his happier companions with aversion. But very rarely does someone appeal equally to everyone. One person says 'beautiful,' another: 'so-so'." (source: link txt)
This quote emphasizes that the perception of sympathy is determined not by universal standards, but by individual reactions that are formed based on personal experience and inner state. The fact that we are not fond of everyone shows our ability to distinguish and evaluate attributes both in others and in our own perception, which reflects our unique view of the world.

Furthermore, another passage highlights the importance of personal experience in forming sympathy:
"You must make many mistakes to stop blindly believing what others say and to know for yourself what you like and who you find likable. I used to think that the cheerful loved the cheerful, the small loved the small, the weak loved the weak... But now I understand that it is not always so." (source: link txt)
Here, the author shows that through our own mistakes and experiments, we come to a deeper understanding of our preferences. Thus, our perception of sympathy is an essential element in forming self-awareness and self-determination. It helps us understand who we are, what we value, and what qualities we find important both in ourselves and in those around us.

In the end, the fact that we do not feel equally fond of everyone is a reflection of our refined and active self-perception. We not only evaluate others, but through this process, we rediscover our individuality, our ideals, and values. It also reminds us that our self-awareness does not depend on social approval, but is built on personal experience and our inner attitude toward life.