Why We Judge in Microseconds (and How to Unjudge Fast) | Katy Jon Went, Human Library UK

What if your first reaction to a stranger wasn’t threat… but curiosity?

In this episode of Founding Voices by The Octopus Movement, I sit down with Katy Jon Went — writer, speaker, educator, BBC contributor, and UK Coordinator + Head of Methodology for the Human Library.

The Human Library is a global movement that turns people into “books” you can borrow, not to agree with them, but to meet the human behind the label. It’s not networking. It’s not debate club. It’s a practice in unjudging.

In this conversation, Katy takes us into the real mechanics of how we judge in microseconds, why “don’t judge” is a fantasy, and why unjudging is the muscle that actually changes culture.

We talk about:
Why humans go DEFCON on people so fast
The difference between judging and concluding
Curiosity as a survival skill, not a personality trait
ADHD energy, “unboxable” identity, and holding opposing truths
Why success might be learning, not finishing
How AI, hybrid work, and global connection can help us escape old boxes
A line I can’t stop thinking about: “If you find people interesting, you will meet interesting people.”

This is a conversation for anyone tired of the algorithmic urge to simplify humans.

If you feel a spark, follow it.
Nonlinear thinking isn’t a strategy. It’s a kind of love. And it grows where we share it.

🐙 The Octopus Movement
A global human mycelium of nonlinear thinkers.

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