Phun-size Philosophy # 61 – Bias

Bias can in a sense be described as a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation. It is the leaning viewpoints that are in an unfair way clouding judgments. Everyone has a certain perspective on almost every issue or topic and it is human nature to have beliefs but finding out where they originate from and are formulated is something interesting to think about. We all have our own opinions but when you really think about it, I believe it is pretty surprising how much our opinions are influenced by the rest of the world. Your opinion can be manipulated by external factors to the point where it may not necessarily seem like it is truly deep down what you really believe but what you think you or have been taught to believe. I remember watching a new episode of Family Guy where Brian hated Rush Limbaugh because of what others said about Rush but after reading Rush’s book, Brian completely agreed with Rush’s viewpoint. The reason for this is because Rush’s beliefs were the next seemingly logical point presented to Brian and they didn’t come contested with a contradicting point. This meant that Brian wasn’t critically thinking and he was accepting the viewpoints of others without second thought just because it seemed like a good idea. He is accepting the bias of others without realizing that there are other choices and perspective out there. It is surprising how strong the external influence is on your life through advertisements, the internet, and other forms, and it is very rare that your opinions are 100% your own. This is especially the case is your have a vested interest or something you care about is at stake because it makes your more defined in your beliefs, efforts, and motivations. Being impartial means that you basically unaffected by the biases you are surrounded by daily and is almost impossible to achieve. Being impartial allows you to not get caught up in emotions and other aspects that could completely change your perspectives which can be a good thing but sometimes it is important to associate yourself with a side and feel strong about a particular standing. One way to help simulate impartiality is by playing devil’s advocate. Like I said before, it can be important sometimes to fight for something because it can give your life purpose but it cant get to the point where your are so stubborn in your beliefs that you won’t recognize or give other views a chance. Getting a full viewpoint and seeing all sides involved in a particular situation is very important in order to live a successful life. Check out more at http://humanpoweredpodcasts.squarespace.com/!

-Allan Nicholas