Bias

I have always thought of bias in the noun definition. It is when an individual prefers something over another. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. We even have language about favoritism when it comes to family, nepotism. Biases can cross a line when making decisions about how you carry your biases in the world. Whether you want to or not you can't put your own preferences on any one else. Not being aware of your biases can be just as dangerous. The unconscious bias is difficult to tend with. There may be feelings and thoughts that are so deeply ingrained in the subconscious that may take a long while to surface.

On top of all these inner workings that go on inside an individual, we contend with large institutions that are rooted in racism. As Beverly Daniel Tatum points out in her book, Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?, there are white students sitting together, though we rarely comment about that. She goes on to explain that racial grouping is a developmental process in response to the environmental stressor of racism. Again sometimes we do not know how unconscious biases will show up in the world.

It is not required for bias to be right or wrong. What you prefer is what you prefer. Deepak Chopra has said that if you do not make the time to meditate at least ask yourself one question, Are you aware? This certainly applies here. Are you aware and raising awareness about your preferences and how you carry them out into the world? If we learned anything from Martin Luther King Jr., it is that we must continue to work toward equality and love. To keep his dream alive, we must explore ideas like these whether it is difficult or not. Having hard conversations may be uncomfortable and it does not mean we should not partake in them.

In Brene Brown's description of the anatomy of trust, she defines integrity as choosing courage over comfort, practicing values and choosing right over what is fun, fast and easy. This is a great definition of integrity that aligns with Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream. I will continue to look to this definition to keep me motivated and courageous enough to live a life with such integrity.