Unlearning The Bias In Your Brain

We all like to think we are the 'good guys.' We believe we are fair, open-minded, and free of prejudice. But the truth is, we were all raised in a world that is deeply biased. From the movies we watched to the news we consumed, we have been fed a steady diet of stereotypes and 'us vs. them' narratives. These things live in your subconscious like a software update you never asked for. If you don't actively go in and rewrite the code, you will keep running the same old, buggy programs.

Unlearning bias is not a one-time event. It is a lifelong process of catching yourself in the act. It is that split-second thought you have when you see someone on the street, or the assumption you make about someone’s intelligence based on their accent. Real-talk: having these thoughts doesn’t make you a 'bad person.' It makes you a human living in a flawed society. What makes the difference is what you do with that thought once it pops up. Do you believe it, or do you challenge it?

This is where the 'work' happens. It is uncomfortable. It requires you to be honest with yourself about the ugly parts of your own mind. You have to ask, 'Why did I just think that?' and 'Where did that idea come from?' Most of the time, the answer is 'I learned it from a culture that values some people more than others.' Once you identify the source, you can start to dismantle it. You replace the bias with a commitment to individual dignity. You choose to see people as they are, not as the stereotype says they should be.

Be patient with yourself, but don't be lazy. Read books by authors who don't look like you. Watch films from different cultures. Listen more than you speak. The goal is to expand your world until the stereotypes no longer fit inside it. When you change your internal landscape, your external actions follow naturally. You stop having to 'try' to be inclusive because your mind has finally caught up to your values. That is true growth. That is how we build a future that actually works for everyone.