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Altona CAN! Understand our Biases

 A few weeks ago we explored the idea that to be able to move forward together on the big topics 

that divide us, we will need to be able to take the perspective of another -- to walk a mile in their 

shoes, so to speak. I had a lot of positive feedback from that article (Seek First to Understand) 

so it seems it struck a chord. 


I also heard some folks saying, “But what about when there seems to be no way to dialogue? 

When we just have such vastly different world views that there is no common ground to find, or, 

maybe even worse, we don’t even want to try.”


I have no simple answers, but I do have some more ideas for us all to consider. I recently listened

 to some podcasts about bias that I think offer a few more ways forward. 


Bias, in a nutshell, is the particular way we see the world. It is the colour of our glasses; the 

filter through which we experience everything. 

 


The trouble is that we tend to think we aren’t biased and that everyone else is. Our bias becomes

 the truth. We all do it. It seems to be human nature. But if we want to understand others better,

 if we want to find common ground, we need to start by becoming aware of our own biases. See 

if any of these sound familiar. 


Confirmation Bias: We tend to accept information that confirms what we already know and we 

resist information that challenges or contradicts what we believe to be true. 


Complexity Bias: We prefer simplicity over complexity. We’ll even prefer a simple lie over a 

complex truth.


Community Bias: We tend to see the world the way our “tribe” sees the world. Our tribe can be 

our family, church, community, social group, etc…


Complementarity Bias: If someone is nice to us, we’re more likely to be open to seeing the world 

from their perspective. If they are not nice to us, we won’t.


Contact Bias: If you don’t have contact with someone, you won’t see what they see. 


To be biased is not bad. It’s simply human. To become aware of our biases is the key, and to 

see others’ biases not as a threat or as a reason to reject them, but as part of their story, is the 

first baby step toward finding common ground. 


I am not speaking as any kind of expert. In fact, I’m pretty sure this topic interests me precisely 

because I need to hear it. I long for healing in this world and, as usual, it starts with a long, hard 

look inside.


 How do your biases influence how you see the world?

 

By Connie Heppner- Mueller for ACAN

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