His message of tolerance, acceptance, and self-reflection hit home for members of the Ellis Student Diversity League, who organize Culture Jam, the School’s annual student-led diversity conference. The Ellis Student Diversity League invited Acharya Vivekji to speak about practical ways each person can help reduce judgment of others and themselves. His talk built on the 2014 Culture Jam theme, Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover.

“When you feel those instantaneous judgmental thoughts coming into your head, count to ten before saying anything aloud. Also, remember that your own experience is not the standard against which other experiences should be judged,” Acharya Vivekji said.

 

Acharya Vivekji, speaking warmly, informally and from the heart, described his own experiences which included being the only non-white person in his school in the Czech Republic, where he learned a great deal about himself, judgment, and perceived differences. He also said that judgment is a distraction from what really matters.

 

“Judging other means you’re not reflecting on yourself because you are turning your attention from your own mind.  Judging others is a way of avoiding reflecting on your own behavior. Bullying is a way to make others as small as you may feel,” he said.  

 

Ellis senior and Student Diversity League president Sruthi Muluk said she was impressed with people’s willingness during the “Race Book” exercise to write down common stereotypes about their own cultural groups. The group engaged fully in this activity. In a debrief just before Vivekji’s talk, audience members described complex feelings the activity raised.

 

“The Race Book exercise showed us the pervasive nature of stereotypes. Listing them makes you hope that people weren’t judging you,” Sruthi said.

 

Culture Jam 2015 will take place next fall.

 
See more photos from Culture Jam 2014 here.