Now for this week. Biases - What a word. It evokes a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have spent a lot time thinking about this assignment. I was one that would vehemently say that because I work hard at welcoming diversity I have risen above having biases. Well, we all know that is simply not true. No matter how much we educate ourselves, biases exist. Some are below the surface and some are rather overt and color the way we see things in our world. The important thing, in my opinion, is to know one's self and be aware of those bias. Have the courage to admit them and confront the feelings. Evaluate the feelings. Figure out where the biases come from and how they were developed and engrained. It is only then that one can move past them.


Another source of frustration was the fact that the people I was interviewing would not look at me when I was talking to them or they were talking to me. In my mind, it was a sign that they were being dishonest or evasive. I then learned that generally speaking, it is the native american culture to look downwards when speaking as a sign of respect.
I learned about how little I knew about the native american culture as a result of my work. Much of my frustrations were born out of my naïvety. But even after I gained insight into some of the issues, it still remained a source of frustration for me because the culture was so extremely different from my own.

I have come to believe that education is the foundation to understanding differences. But even with education, the differences still exist. I believe it is unreasonable to think of our country as a "melting pot." We cannot expect our differences to melt together to create one combination. Those differences will always exist. Rather we should view our country more as a "tossed salad." All of the different ingredients each have their own flavor but come together in a way that can enhance one another.

I believe it is impossible to wipe out biases. Biases are a part of human nature. The key is to know yourself well enough to know what your biases are, educate yourself about your biases, and learn to have a respect for cultures other than your own. No culture is better or worse than another, they are simply different.
Fascinating experiences concerning the native population. I agree with your "tossed salad" statement. I actually have grown to resent the melting pot concept based on my own cultural background and experiences. The specifics of a culture are ignored and so many of the subtleties of a culture that help define it are lost or never perceived - so are not respected.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you started your blog by saying that we need to recognize our predjudices first in order to move away from them. It is a long working process. This blog was difficult to say the least. Nicely done being honest with yourself and your fellow bloggers.
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