“First impression is the Last impression.” Do you agree or disagree?

As we all very well know that a First Impression is the event when one person first encounters another person and forms a mental image of that person; so no need to go into details.

Now, first of all let’s see what the Supporters of this slogan say, and what is the viewpoint of its Adversaries, and subsequently I’ll put forth my personal opinion.

THE SUPPORTERS’ VIEWPOINT

The Supporters of this notion have their own strong points and they are well justified in their opinion as also evident from our discussion in this forum.

William Hazlitt, the British Writer once said,” First Impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible professions or studied actions. A man's look is the work of years; it is stamped on his countenance by the events of his whole life, nay, more, by the hand of nature, and it is not to be got rid of easily.” The truth of the matter is that the first impression can actually play a pivotal role in the way a person perceives you or continue to perceive you in future. 

The question is- Why is the first impression so important? How does the first impression play an important role in creating an impression that can last for a very long time or for that matter, forever? The answer is simple. When we meet someone, we have never met before; they do not have any clue about who we are. Since they do not know us or have never met us before, they do not have absolutely any knowledge about the person that we are. So, they judge us on the basis of what they see and hear.  Everything else becomes secondary. The things that we say, the way in which we act and everything that indicates anything about our personality lays the foundation on which the other person builds an idea about our character or personality. 

Once the foundation has been made, it becomes very difficult to change it. Thus, the first impression is extremely important because it creates the granite foundation for the way in which people perceive us. It provides people with the glasses through which they see us. This is precisely the reason why people should make every effort to create a good first impression. 

One does not get a second chance to create a first impression. Everyone gets just a single chance and they have to make the best out of it. If you spoil your chance, you will have to work very hard and for a very long time to reconstruct your image. However, if you hit the bull’s eye in your first chance, it is quite likely that you will still be forgiven if you mess up once or twice. In Professional and/or Personal life, a good first impression can open the doors to so many other good things. 

THE  ADVERSARIES’ VIEWPOINT

During the course of our discussion in this forum, we’ve seen that the viewpoint of this slogan’s adversaries is also equally strong and well justified.

They say that you should never judge a book by its cover, and, especially regarding people, it’s true. In this case, the “cover” is not necessarily meaning the appearance, but the first impression of another person. Like the cover of a book, first impressions are not always as appealing as what is really there. It’s not until after you start “reading”, or get to know someone, when you really find out that what you see is not always what you get. There are several factors that can affect the first impression that one receives from another. Differing personality, situations and presentation of a person, make first impressions often the worst means of judging people.

Your first impression of someone may not be accurate because you do not know of the situation they may be in. When seeing or meeting someone new, you have no idea the kind of day, difficulties or kind of disappointments that person may be experiencing. They may have had a rough morning, may have recently lost some dear one, or could be somewhere new and yet still have to deal with the routines and stresses of going through out their day. All of these situations can create a barrier between themselves and others, and setting off a good impression is probably not at the top of their list of important things to do.

Again, the way someone presents themselves doesn’t always showcase their true personality and show who they are. Unfortunately one’s presentation is the first thing that others see, and the first thing that people are judged on. Some people look and dress a certain way either because they want to, or because they have to, based on their financial situation or to fulfill some type of professional obligation.

There are many factors that lead to someone’s first impression of another. Someone’s personality, current situation, or the way they happen to present themselves all influence the way someone thinks about a another when seeing or meeting them for the first time. Since what they think is based on these judgments, their first impression is usually wrong. If all Friendships were based upon first impressions, there would be a lot less of them in the world. First impressions are often the worst means of judging a person because it’s not until you get to really know a person, you are better equipped to understand what kind of person they truly are, and really know the individual based on real values, rather than their first impression, or “book cover”.

MY PERSONAL VIEWPOINT:-

I AM AN ARDENT ADVOCATE OF BOTH OF THESE VIEWPOINTS IN SOME WAYS but, HONESTLY, MY COMPASS IS A BIT MORE DRIVEN TOWARDS ITS ADVERSARIES.

Undoubtedly, we live in an era where competition is not only high, it is cut throat. If we want to get ahead in our corporate professional life, we will have to present ourselves as nothing but the very best. A good first impression will bring us out in the eyes of the top most important people and from there, we can work our way to the top through hard work and labor. The first impression will help us in establishing ourselves as someone who can be trusted and is worthy of attention.

BUT, It's not possible to decide just in a couple of encounters how a person really is. We may come across a person who may not be in his best humor/right frame of mind that particular day, maybe because something has annoyed him/her or made him/her nervous, etc. Some folks don't open up and mingle all of a sudden; they take time to get comfortable with others. Then there are some who hide their true personalities under a mask and often portray themselves as something they are not in reality; maybe because being themselves will make them vulnerable or reveal their unpleasant/'not-so-good' side. Others are just not gregarious and sociable – the 'shy' types basically.

EXAMPLE FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ELUCIDATING THE PIONT AS TO WHY ONE SHOULDN’T BE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF HIS/HER FIRST IMPRESSION:-  

I launched an Academy for three years; hired brilliant employees (Teachers). Normally, the candidates are in their best attire during an interview, but I came to interview a potential female candidate, who was in the roughest attire of all, was at her wits’ end with tears in her eyes. Literally there was no chance of her getting selected for the applied post, but during the interview, I figured out that she was much more competent as compared to other potential candidates who were fantastically dressed up and obviously looking much more confident to leave a good first impression on anyone, including me obviously. After having gone through all the candidates’ positive and negative points for that specific subject, even to her surprise, I appointed her and, believe me, she proved to be a real gem for the Academy and became the apple of every student’s eye. She surpassed all her contemporaries when the Board results showed up and, in her relative subject, the academy students showed splendid results.

I don't feel it's right to judge a person based on what we conclude just after one or two meetings with them. Unless we know a person deeply, thoroughly and truly, we should not let ourselves be influenced by any kind of prejudice or conviction. The longer we know someone, the more opportunities we have to change our perception of that person (and vice versa).  However, if the first impression is a particularly unpleasant one, it is extremely difficult to completely erase that impression. It is rather like putting our footprint or handprint in wet cement.  After the cement is dry, we aren't likely to smooth the edges or change the shape of those imprints.

I think if anyone goes by the premise that the first is the last, then the person is limiting the process of getting to know humans, as complex as we are. If we examine the thought process of discrimination, it is primarily based on first impressions. It seems that there should be some level of social reconfiguration of understanding how our first impressions are always going to be there, but ensuring that a process of reflection to make sure that our first impressions do not constitute the whole of judgment on a person is a critical piece that should be undertaken by as many as possible.

The crux of all this discussion is: First Impression is not always an accurate reflection of how a person is; Times change and so do people. So, I CAN’T SAY THAT ‘THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE LAST IMPRESSION’, instead I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT ‘THE LONG-LASTING IMPRESSION’.

Thank you my friend for a question and call

That (saying first impression is the last impression) is one of the words that you actually locked out to be slammed by social life bitter, it is true that the first impression is important to open up to the people who we meet for the first time and tautness to them, but it must be this impression remains under test and control to be done to ensure that these superficial impressions not gone right or wrong.

The victims of the first impression many people and for me often I was one of them victims of this impression are the dozens but hundreds and fall trap deceptive appearances every minute, but in every moment .....

Once you see a person with a good job, we believe that behind him and a heart Well sarira pure .......

Or maybe when they hear the words fresh ornate daresay that behind breath honest and transparent ......

The truth is that the deceitful good psychological experience ...... By knowing the weakness of their victims point be able to gain their trust easily ...... Valonaqh precious and bright smile and words

It distills them Shahd in addition to some small positions all this to demonstrate that behind breath poetic phenomenon is disingenuous.

The researchers believe that the external appearance is the greatest in the most influential positions they claim more often to pay attention to the elegant clothes and dear to the stability of perception and to monitor the movements and emotions.

I know that talking about this subject is very long and can not be reduced to an article or two, but I want to draw attention to finally deceived also because they are the ones who canceled their minds and their souls, and they gave the impostor on a plate to be able then to be controlled as he pleases and direct as he wants .... .

Simplicity and excess blind trust, which quickly granted to the people they are far from this confidence, ignorance, in addition to the non-use of previous experiences, whether personal experiences or have occurred with other people are all able crook to extend its dominance in the hearts and minds and make him above reproach.

I will not say that first impression is the last impression, but it is very true that it is rather difficult to change the first impression. First impression is like a picture drawn on a clean slate. If subsequent impression change this first impression rather than reinforce it, then first the original impression need to be erased or obliterated. This process of erasing impressions already formed, are more difficult than forming new impression. Some faint lines of old impression remain even when these have been apparently erased. It is this difficulty in erasing old impressions that makes prejudices so difficult to counter.

 Thanks dear  Farhana for invitation

I agree with mr omar saad

but most of the time I have an intuition that guides me

A wonderful question and more wonderful answers. Thanks

Despite of i was one of whom believing in that quote for long time,but I think it could be wrong to judge someone based on the first meeting. You never know what that person could be experiencing at that particular moment. People are very complex.First impressions are important, but they are not everything. Whether the initial impression is good or bad, knowing a person is what forms an opinion. Day to day interaction, choices you make and personality are more important. A good or bad first impression can be quickly eviscerated by these.

 I think we are taking things a bit too lightly. It is true that, with so many people aroundus, it hardly matters what people think about you but if we take it in a positive manner, people will notremember who you are; they will not remember how you look like, but they will always remember how you made them feel like; how you treated them; how you behaved with them. I think it is very important to have a goodimpression. That is how people will remember you.Hence, though there is a very little possibility that you get “another chance” to rectify your impressionbut if you get, make a best use of it.

 I only like to say, Majority of people at least whom i met or interact are believing in this quote as well, so,that it is very important to know the type of person you are going to meet and what type of future you are looking forward, involving that person in your life; so based on that…one should be prepared. This is life and in life,there is no retakes…only one shot.

The first impression is very important, but in time we can see how someone actually is.So, I partially agree and disagree.

We are not here on this earth to judge but to love and care for others. If you write someone off from your first look at them you will no doubt miss out on many opportunities to know great people in your lifetime. How many times have you picked up a book or DVD or turned on a television program because the name attracted you and then it was nothing like you expected. If we were all as good as we would like to think at judging on first impressions then how is it that there are so many divorces in the world now. To solely judge someone on just the first impression without knowing anything about the persons circumstances is a form of ignorance. How are you to know if someone has just suffered a major emotional distress in their life. If you saw me the day my baby died you would judge me as a miserable person, or if you saw me after I was just abused or cheated on maybe you would think I am a shy person lacking confidence or even an angry person but that is not who I would be in normal circumstances. As a society there is too much arrogance and way too much lack of empathy and understanding for others before we label them. 

Everyone desires to create desired impression and therefore there is an extra work made to create such impression that’s not usual one. Because they never get a second chance to make the first impression.

On the other-hand the receiver must be in a frame of mind to believe the created impression is natural or otherwise.

People to use wisdom to discover the originality to form the first impression is lasting one or otherwise.    

Thanks

Partly agree , since some impressions changed after a while due to persons behaves itself negatively or positively.

Regards

In some situtations agreed and in some circumstances disagreed.