We all like to think we have no bias, that we’re totally objective, open-minded and would never discriminate. It makes us feel better about us. In fact, 90% of us think we’re more open-minded than the average person. Well, if you’re like me and have existing beliefs, ideas, values and ingrained attitudes (not bad things, by the way), then like me, you’re not quite the cognitive or emotional blank canvas you might like to be. Life’s much more comfortable (for a while) when we only pay attention to the stuff (ideas, information, philosophies, research, people) that reflects our own thinking (confirmation bias). And for people who love being comfortable and ‘right’ (all of us), bias makes complete ‘sense’. *Jessica Nordell is an award-winning author and science writer known for blending rigorous science with compassionate humanity. Her first book, ‘The End of Bias: A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias’ is the culmination of fifteen years of reporting and writing on the subject of bias and discrimination and how to solve it, for publications including the New York Times, the Atlantic, and the New Republic. Jessica is great in this chat and I'm sure she will resonate with you. Enjoy.
