What is the bias you fight hardest against?
We all have our biases, and though we atheists think we're less biased than others, I cannot look in the mirror and say that. Like most humans I fight against confirmation bias, and I personally also struggle with a special case of hindsight bias -- not only does it seem clear now but I'm an idiot for not having seen it before.
Reference: [en.wikipedia.org]
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.My biggest struggle is against enforced equality. I am not equal to you. You are not equal to me. That sort of thing. When I am confronted with people who say "we are all equal", I get a little--incensed.
Jack-of-scythes
Level 6
Jan 19, 2018
0
Well, it depends on what you mean, right? Of course we're all unique. But we are (or should be) equal to the extent that we all deserve respect and certain basic rights and access to opportunities. I've never seen a world like that but I still wish for it.
We all have our biases. Our experience is our bias. If we have experience with religion, or abuse, or divorce, or health problems, that's all bias, because it's the lens through which we see the world. There's nothing we can do about that. But we don't have to act on that bias. We can refrain from acting judgmental or being critical. We can remain neutral in our response, regardless of what biases are rattling around within our heads. I'm most biased against extreme viewpoints, in any direction, whether religious or political or what have you, and I'm not always good at not being judgmental about it.
resserts
Level 8
Jan 18, 2018
2
I'm not sure I entirely agree that being critical equals having bias. You can react in more than one way and that will affect how/where the conversation goes. But requiring evidence and rejecting outrageous claims isn't in itself bias, is it? Or is that not what you meant?
@chicagojcb I like the definition of bias as it being the lens through which we see the world, because any experience we have necessarily informs our view of it. That, to me, is bias. So anything about which I have an opinion is necessarily something about which I have bias. The only things I'm truly unbiased about are things I have no knowledge of and no experience with. I think criticism isn't equivalent to bias, but a potential byproduct of bias. I can be neutral, though, even if I have a critical opinion; I can be opposed to spanking children yet refrain from passing judgement on others who discipline in that manner. I still have an opinion, I still have my experience, but I can remain neutral in my active response. That's not to say that being critical is necessarily a bad thing in many circumstances. I definitely have bias when it comes to murder, and I feel no compulsion to remain neutral on the topic. I don't know whether that explanation helps clarify or further clouds my point.
@resserts no, I do understand. We simply define the word rather differently.
That's exactly the problem. Agnostics and Atheists consider themselves to have way above average intelligence and ignore other less boastful people, and as you mention, consider ourselves less biased which is another way of avoiding doubt.
McIntyre
Level 6
Jan 18, 2018
1
yes
I think that's one of the terrific things about this forum. We can hold up a mirror to ourselves and talk about stuff like this and at least know that the conversation won't degenerate to "well, if you just accepted Jesus all your biases would go away" or some bullshit.
I am definitely more biased towards what worked in the past working today. Really struggle with this in my line of work.
engineer_in_nj
Level 6
Jan 18, 2018
1
@JWDiaz I would because there are many ways to solve the same problem and refusing to learn new or even different ways limits oneself
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