Why does being conscious of IMPLICIT (unconscious) Biases matter?

and... How or why would we exert energy to recognizing and working over Implicit Bias?

Today, every single profession demands some degree of cross-cultural engagement and sensitivity to DEJI (diversity, equity, justice and inclusive) concerns—across generations of cultural, religious, national, or generational biases.

As usual, we gain an accurate awareness in direct proportion to our motivation and to the extent of our efforts. But immersion in other cultures…and most especially those to which we might have a predetermined bias or “inaccurate file” can be a challenge—especially at first.

The good news: the process of engaging our biases helps us become conscious of our own limitations, which then ‘can’ launch another phase in our growth and expansion of knowledge and experience. By spending time in other’s ‘worlds,’ we “right-size” our own beliefs and experiences and as a result, can recognize and heal perhaps the greatest barriers to human well-being—and equally—the deepest and most lethal sources of human conflict and ignorance: implicit biases.

So, as it happens, all stereotyping, most of our fears, and most certainly all actions of inequity and injustice, are anchored in implicit or unconscious biases that evolve often, over centuries. These biased and unconscious beliefs can be passed across generations, and eventually embed themselves in our own beliefs, thoughts, and actions. In most cases—the biases will be supported and reinforced by those in our communities, or if severe enough, might cause us to choose a community based on the biases. But make no mistake, they are at the root of virtually every war, conflict, dehumanization, institutionalized conflict, and imbalanced values and social inequities...without exception.

READ: Implicit Bias: How to ID & Unlearn Implicit Bias, AND Elijah Anderson: ‘This is what it feels like to Black in White spaces” AND Unconscious Bias & Blind spots

ADD to your Research Journal: these will be resources you absolutely will need to matter what your profession, its location, the culture --- across your life.. this is about the 'hidden curriculum' of human biases and stereotyping behind all of the world's problems. See the research Journal for ideas on how to do this!

WHAT did you HEAR or SEE?

If you took passionate and engaged notes-- then that means you had a passionate engage mind, and you will do well on the quiz, because you likely found many of the key points you'll need to say /write something of value and insight. If you didn't read with some energy and interest --- or took notes like you're preparing for a quiz -- vs. solving the sources of most of the greatest social problems of the world: overcoming biases and misinformation, then your quiz score will just be a message: try to listen and think harder and deeper.

Quiz rubric: 9-10 excellent reading/listening and focused mindset; 7-8 not 'yet' but with some effort you'll be there... 0-6 this really isn't going to do you or our world much good--- I hope we can help you increase your interest: suggest see instructor for ideas.

Go to MODULE 2 Quiz 2 - Reading Assessment