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A review by musicsaves
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt
5.0
A truly fascinating and important book written by a social psychologist. Dr. Eberhardt paints a very clear picture of why ALL of us act the way we do toward those who look different than us, or those who society has labelled as “different” and, therefore, to be feared in some way. What makes the book so great is the beautiful balance she strikes between personal stories (her own and those of others) and the science of our brain and how it works. Powerful analysis of why current events are erupting the way they have been these past two years and how to do the hard work necessary to live better lives together.
“Implicit bias is a kind of distorting lens that’s a product of both the architecture of our brain and the disparities in our society.” (p. 6)
“The mistake we keep making—the mistake we all keep making—is in thinking that our work is done. That whatever heroic effort we’ve made will keep moving us forward. That whatever progress we’ve seen will keep us from sliding back to burning crosses and hiding Torah scrolls. But this moment in Charlottesville is our lot, our inheritance. This is where our history and our brain machinery strand us—time and time again. Moving forward requires continued vigilance. It requires us to constantly attend to who we are, how we got that way, and all the selves we have the capacity to be.“ (p. 250)
“It turns out that diversity itself is not a remedy for, though it may be a route to, eliminating bias. But we have to be willing to go through the growing pains that diversity entails. We’ve learned that diverse groups are more creative and reach better decisions, but they aren’t always the happiest group of people. There are more differences, so there is apt to be more discord. Privilege shifts, roles change, new voices emerge. Success requires us to be willing to tolerate that discomfort as we learn to communicate, get to know one another, and make deeper efforts to shift the underlying cultures that lead to bias and exclusion.” (p. 291)
“Implicit bias is a kind of distorting lens that’s a product of both the architecture of our brain and the disparities in our society.” (p. 6)
“The mistake we keep making—the mistake we all keep making—is in thinking that our work is done. That whatever heroic effort we’ve made will keep moving us forward. That whatever progress we’ve seen will keep us from sliding back to burning crosses and hiding Torah scrolls. But this moment in Charlottesville is our lot, our inheritance. This is where our history and our brain machinery strand us—time and time again. Moving forward requires continued vigilance. It requires us to constantly attend to who we are, how we got that way, and all the selves we have the capacity to be.“ (p. 250)
“It turns out that diversity itself is not a remedy for, though it may be a route to, eliminating bias. But we have to be willing to go through the growing pains that diversity entails. We’ve learned that diverse groups are more creative and reach better decisions, but they aren’t always the happiest group of people. There are more differences, so there is apt to be more discord. Privilege shifts, roles change, new voices emerge. Success requires us to be willing to tolerate that discomfort as we learn to communicate, get to know one another, and make deeper efforts to shift the underlying cultures that lead to bias and exclusion.” (p. 291)