Politics for People Who Hate Politicsਨਮੂਨਾ

Social scientists have discovered that one way divisive mentalities emerge is through our tendency to apply in-group bias—that is, preferential treatment—to those who constitute our in-group, or those who are “like us.” Who we allow into our in-group is influenced by our upbringing and environment: where we’re born, what our parents believe, and the color of our skin, etc. However, these in-group biases create blind spots that can limit our ability to see the whole truth.

Our political blind spots stem from what a group of Princeton researchers refers to as “our inability to recognize the impact of our biases and limitations on our judgment, behavior, and decisions.” Our biases deceive us by labeling others as biased while tricking ourselves into believing that we are impartial and objective. Such denial weakens our ability to discern truth, making it difficult for us to appreciate political perspectives that challenge our own.

The good news is that, just like driving, looking at our situation from a new vantage point can quickly eliminate the blind spot. However, this requires proactive behavior change on our part. A good first step to take is to ask others—especially those who sit across the aisle—what we might be missing in our understanding of their perspective. By listening and asking follow-up questions, we can all become more enlightened, educated, and empathetic, making it easier to recognize our blind spots for what they really are.

Reflection: Make a list of all of your biases that you have accepted as objective truth. Who are some people you can talk to that may offer you a new vantage point?