Bias
As you read the title to this post, it’s possible that you had a visceral (body-based) reaction to seeing the word. Put that to the side for just a moment; we will come back to that. Let’s start by defining the word objectively, without emotional connotations.
Bias is, according to Oxford’s dictionary, a “prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.” Bias can be conscious and purposeful, and bias can also be something that a person is unaware of. Bias is shown in actions or behaviors, as well as in words spoken or written. These actions, behaviors, and words can be intentionally chosen, or the person may not be totally aware of engaging in them or that engaging in them demonstrates a bias. Now, let’s bring back the connotation.
When people hear the word “bias,” there is often a visceral reaction that occurs somewhere in the body and brings a sense of discomfort. Maybe it’s a tightening in the chest muscles or something that feels like a punch to the gut. Maybe you feel like something got stuck in your throat. Bias, after-all, in the course of history has led to some extremely terrible things. Because of this, when we hear the word bias sometimes we are unable to really confront the thing that is biased in ourselves. A bias can be something small or it can be larger and more hurtful such as a belief that people of a certain race are unintelligent or do not belong. Either way, an unaddressed bias has the potential to cause a lot of problems.
So, what can you do? First of all, when you notice one in yourself it is important (no matter what size) to acknowledge it and address it. This may mean having to make some changes in how you think about something or in how you act in a certain situation. When I noticed as I was speaking about hair dying recently that I was exhibiting a bias, I verbally acknowledged it to the person I was talking to and made a mental note to come back to that thought after the conversation to figure out what I needed to do about it. Upon further thought, this is what I came up with: professionals trained in any area should have more of an understanding about a particular skill, but this is not necessarily a guarantee. I have known many people who are not trained in something but who exhibit a talent for that skill. For me then, to address this bias was a matter of changing the wording of my thinking and thus changing the words that I would be speaking in future situations when this topic or a topic like this comes up. But what happens when we notice a bias in somebody else?
If you notice that someone is exhibiting a bias, you have a choice. You can choose to address it or you can choose to let it go. Whatever you choose leads to consequences (consequences referring to what happens as a result of an outcome in a situation). These often lead to further choices. Some things to consider in making the determination of what action steps you are going to take:
· First and foremost, before you do anything (and I do mean ANYTHING), consider your safety. Both physical and emotional. If saying something puts you in danger of being harmed, you need to consider this.
· Consider the safety of anyone who is with you. You might be willing to risk your own self getting hurt, but please do not assume that anyone else who is with you is okay with their safety being risked.
· Think about the purpose of the action you are wanting to take. Sometimes it is more powerful to walk away from a particular situation, but decide to take a stand somewhere else. Maybe you decide to attend a protest rally or march in a rights parade. Maybe you write a letter to somebody in a position of authority to indicate a need for a change. There are lots of prosocial ways to get involved in creating change!
· And a final thought: what action is going to allow you to be able to sleep tonight? Thinking about what we are okay with, how this relates to our values, and what we are going to be able to live with is very important. We’ve all had those nights where some worry thought is keeping us up. By considering how we will be able to avoid having a no-sleep night, we are able to give ourselves a gauge of what we will be ultimately okay with and what we will not.
Bias is a real thing. And bias exists in everyone. Bias is not limited to the ones we hear about related to basic human rights. Bias can be about anything. I believe my dog is the cutest dog in the world and my pony to be the most beautiful inside and out. This is a bias. It is a bias that is not causing me to act in a way that injures anyone, and I am able to acknowledge when my puppy’s behavior or my pony’s attitude is not so great so this bias is okay. Other biases that do cause us to act in ways that are harmful or hurtful towards others are not. Bias does not automatically mean a discriminatory action is going to happen through our behaviors. But it does increase the likelihood that it will.
What I know is that we are living in a time and a place in society where the lines have become a lot firmer, the divide a lot greater. A side effect of this is the loss of the ability to listen. Or maybe that was the cause. That’s a chicken and egg argument. Either way, the reality is people are quick to discount someone’s statements because of what groups they belong to or don’t belong to. We have stopped listening, and really hearing what others are saying. We are quick to throw around insults and engage in name-calling. And it’s not one side or the other doing this- it’s coming from all sides. If we were able to sit down together and actually talk this out, hear each side, and work together to solve the problems that have led to the state of affairs we are in, this would be addressing the biases that have taken root in our country. And ultimately, it’s all about working together to create the changes that will make and sustain the world we want to live in. As Mahatma Gandhi famously proclaimed: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”