Biases Are The Stories We Make Up About People

[Oscar Carter]

They Are The Stories We Make Up Before We Know Who They Actually Are.

That paraphrases Verna Myers' definition of bias in her Ted Talk Below.

Ms. Myers' fundamental premise in resolving the adverse, prejudicial and worse
treatment of people who do not look like us is a need for us to look within and be
willing to change ourselves.

I believe she is Right On with that thought, although in my judgement she
contradicts her view by implying that bias played a part in the death of
Michael Brown.  Is that not a biased view in and of itself?  I am not suggesting
bias did not play a part or was not the sole factor that caused Michael Brown's
death.  I am suggesting that I do not think you nor I know that as fact which points
back to Ms. Myers' conclusion that in order to change things, we need to each
look within and be willing to change ourselves.

She Leaves Us With Three Calls To Action

1. We’ve to to get out of denial.  Stop trying to be good people. 
2. We need to look for our biases, move toward them and face the objects
   of them.   She also suggests we need to expand our social circles and be
   inclusive of people who do not look like us.
3. If we see or hear something that is biased we have to have the courage
   to say something.

Ms Myers' presentation on her November, 2014 Ted Talk is extraordinary.  It
points us to the conversation I have been suggesting for a world that works for
all in this blog.

Take a Watch and Listen.

Oscar Carter
World Transformer