Was quite a few years ago decided had handled subject of race here on this blog, as to concerns about American racism, and point of it was to be done with subject. Yet also have realized as looked around our globe and in my own country was clear others felt was a continuing concern, and also wondered how well I had handled it for myself, to establish a stable foundation.
Then also found myself stunned like others as learned of relentless predations upon a lot of people, with the news focused much on sexual predation of women in the entertainment industry. While there has also been a lot about sexual predation of males there and in the fashion industry. And even more tragically, children across industries regardless of gender though back to entertainment industry, much was focused on male children as maybe easier targets. See documentary An Open Secret for my primary reference on that one.
Reality has been abuse without regard for gender, including then of course transgender people as well. Just feel like should mention directly.
Yet feel like we DO have a society which condemns assaults against its members, and as the news is poring out, there is effort made to address. But how could it be this bad? And how does relate also to previously brought up concerns with subject of race?
And found myself thinking about early humans who traveled in small groups.
Today we can often find ourselves thankfully in relatively small groups of friends or family, or maybe even co-workers. Where is not like that past when you survived together or more likely died if were alone. And to me? That's powerful training built into us, where modern reality is less so, life and death with your cohorts.
Often when group decisions are made, would find myself at times realizing certain things would be off limits as someone in the group had a tendency to maybe not like something.
But why so powerful? Well imagine in the distant past, and as the group of humans struggling to survive is in an area, one member raises an alarm...suddenly all are tense. They narrowly escape some danger I might only imagine. Group survives till next thing.
Even slight biases maybe not even consciously understood by a SINGLE member of a group of humans might I think be magnified by the group itself. So a group of people who separately are very egalitarian? Very open minded? And very much against any number of social biases? Together may be something different.
How does that relate to all the primary things mentioned? And am not a psychologist or any type of social scientist, but I talk things to understand. But groups of humans might tolerate things that no individual in the group would accept!
Like a group of guys who find they tend to only like action movies with male leads. Who separately may watch regardless of gender. Or a group of women who find they only prefer certain races, where race is a social construct by the way, when you look at their choices as a group, versus what they say or even do individually.
Or people who individually are against sexual assault, but when they get together and talk, you hear them trend to a different attitude where if questioned, they'd insist was joking, and not serious. Where also they can refuse to believe facts, as a group, even when overwhelmingly show abuse occurred. But if talk to individuals? Is believed.
Now consider millions of such groups just in one nation like the US. And magnify biases across these groups maybe even reinforcing each other, as these groups interact.
Have you ever had a conversation that just seemed ok with your friends? Which part of you thought was messed up? Have had those conversations myself. Now I do wonder what I was part of, when had no clue.
Is a theory. Figured was worth putting out here on the web. And again, am not a social scientist. Am a concerned human, looking for useful answers. So what is the answer?
Check the bias if you detect it. Just ask, questions. With real friends? Could simply be enlightening.
James Harris
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