It is natural to have biases, but it's imperative to be aware of them and make choices to overcome them. A critical part of formal education is to learn the scientific method of research and evaluation to mitigate the risk of biases. The more society embraces fact free opinions and talking points of other “so called pundits”, the greater the prejudices in our civil society. These preconceptions divide us and fragment our fragile social contract resulting in conflict and unrest. Life is a prism and all situations could be viewed from various vantage points of that prism leading to varied judgments. Having an open mind coupled with the brevity to self-assess are foundational to identifying one’s own predispositions. Having the courage to deal with those biases and let facts lead to informed choices while embracing empathy is what would make the difference. Listening with the intent to understand other points of view is the start. Start now. Tune in and listen to a Freedom Rider.
