First impressions

A lot of people have heard how important first impressions are. In English you can state this in the wordplay ”first impressions last”. In Swedish we do not have this possibility but we are constantly told by so called communication experts that the first impression is the most important in all types of contact with humans (and some will doubtless say that it is true for animals as well).
I do not disagree that first impressions are very important. The first impression you give people will probably determine their ”gut reaction” to who you are and what you say.
But I have never seen any scientific study that shows that the first impression is the most important. (Though I must confess that I have not been looking for one. There are plenty of studies that show that first impressions are important but not that they are the most important.) What I find very strange is that people seem to forget how important the last impression is. After all the last impression is what you leave a person with.
Of course it is often necessary to make a good first impression if you want to be given the chance of inflicting your audience with a last impression of who you are and what you have to say. But if one consider that statement, it implies that the first impression is only a necessary mean to get the opportunity to give a last impression. Thus it appears like the last impression is the important one.
I think we should be very glad that the last impression is important, probably more important than the first impression. It is not considered correct to have prejudices today. Prejudice is the ultimate first impression, you decide that what women or black people have to say is unimportant. Or you might “know” that gypsies are thieves. If it wasn't for the fact that last impressions are more important than first impressions these groups of people might not have been able to teach people to listen to them and trust them.
Make sure to make a great last impression.