June 19, 2020
Bias, Bullies and Demonisation
Labels can hide or distort the truth – truth, whose truth? Fascist, Communist, Lefty, Alt-Right…My concern is that our own unconscious bias can make us see bullying behaviour differently depending on background, education, social circumstances and locality.
I try to take a centrist position, seeing political arguments independently from bias, making pragmatic rather than ideological choices. Extremism from left or right ideologies can lead to an undemocratic stance where violence is considered OK if it supports a position sympathetic to our own prejudice.
I hope this makes sense, but of course, I am riddled with unconscious bias as much as everyone else and have to work on awareness of my underlying, often irrational, but deep seated beliefs. Bullying is bullying, and we must expose it when it occurs, without demonising bullies or victims.
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