Awake
Yesterday morning my spiritual intention was to be more aware of my own biases and prejudices. Shortly, thereafter I was at the gym listening to a podcast and noticed I had conjured up an image of and a story about someone based on their name. As this person spoke I soon realized he was not anything like my image and story. A short time later, still at the gym, I was talking to someone and i noticed myself creating a story which did not match what he was saying.
On any given day my brain retrieval system creates images and stories based on information I have consciously or unconsciously stored in my internal file cabinets. These images and stories are filled with tabs based on sound, smell, taste, tactile sensations, gender, race, age, mannerisms color, place, words, images and other subtle and not so subtle associations. These images and stories arrive via spoken work from a person, a so-called history books, a movie or television program, magazines, billboards, advertisements, internet ads, emails from various organizations with a particular world view or agenda as well as a host of other sources.
Even when I am very intentional, as i was yesterday, I am likely to miss or overlook many biased or prejudicial thoughts. I may not recognize some thought, statement, or action as biased or prejudicial but someone may perceive them as such. Not infrequently, I must make amends to someone. when they inform me they experienced what i said or did as biased or prejudicial. I still may not recognize it as such. The person who heard it as such may or may not offer to explain to me what made it offensive to them.
Often, those of us who are attempting to be very intentional about creating a more inclusive world may be accused of being too focused on being “politically correct” overly sensitive, or a negative person. More than once when I say to a wait person, “No plastic straws please.” I may hear or observe deep sighs from others. When I say I experience such and such as sexist, racist or in some other way as based or prejudice I may hear, “Must we go there.” I want to be careful to not communicate judgment or criticism, but it still may be heard as such. Often it is tough to find a way to be light, non-judgmental, but still clear that this is an issue. Occasionally, saying something results in a more in-depth conversation about how we can help each other recognize and let go of some of our biases and prejudices. If folks have been drinking or otherwise impaired it will not be helpful to discuss the issue at that time. There may or may not be another opportunity to address the issue.
It can seem like a full time job just noticing my own biases and prejudices, As with others, it is my goal to not judge myself or to label my action as positive or negative. The goal is to notice and to practice letting go of such negative judgments. This is best accomplished by correcting the biased or prejudice thought or action.
While one does not want to continually correct self or others, one does want to be intentional about doing one’s part to reduce the uses of biases and prejudices in how we function as a community. This can best be accomplished by:
· Modeling inclusive language and actions,.
· Having a positive attitude.
· Trusting that we humans are not our worst behavior
· Remembering that we need to treat others who may demonstrate biases and prejudices the way we want to be treated when we fail to be our best selves.
Written April 8, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett. org
Yesterday morning my spiritual intention was to be more aware of my own biases and prejudices. Shortly, thereafter I was at the gym listening to a podcast and noticed I had conjured up an image of and a story about someone based on their name. As this person spoke I soon realized he was not anything like my image and story. A short time later, still at the gym, I was talking to someone and i noticed myself creating a story which did not match what he was saying.
On any given day my brain retrieval system creates images and stories based on information I have consciously or unconsciously stored in my internal file cabinets. These images and stories are filled with tabs based on sound, smell, taste, tactile sensations, gender, race, age, mannerisms color, place, words, images and other subtle and not so subtle associations. These images and stories arrive via spoken work from a person, a so-called history books, a movie or television program, magazines, billboards, advertisements, internet ads, emails from various organizations with a particular world view or agenda as well as a host of other sources.
Even when I am very intentional, as i was yesterday, I am likely to miss or overlook many biased or prejudicial thoughts. I may not recognize some thought, statement, or action as biased or prejudicial but someone may perceive them as such. Not infrequently, I must make amends to someone. when they inform me they experienced what i said or did as biased or prejudicial. I still may not recognize it as such. The person who heard it as such may or may not offer to explain to me what made it offensive to them.
Often, those of us who are attempting to be very intentional about creating a more inclusive world may be accused of being too focused on being “politically correct” overly sensitive, or a negative person. More than once when I say to a wait person, “No plastic straws please.” I may hear or observe deep sighs from others. When I say I experience such and such as sexist, racist or in some other way as based or prejudice I may hear, “Must we go there.” I want to be careful to not communicate judgment or criticism, but it still may be heard as such. Often it is tough to find a way to be light, non-judgmental, but still clear that this is an issue. Occasionally, saying something results in a more in-depth conversation about how we can help each other recognize and let go of some of our biases and prejudices. If folks have been drinking or otherwise impaired it will not be helpful to discuss the issue at that time. There may or may not be another opportunity to address the issue.
It can seem like a full time job just noticing my own biases and prejudices, As with others, it is my goal to not judge myself or to label my action as positive or negative. The goal is to notice and to practice letting go of such negative judgments. This is best accomplished by correcting the biased or prejudice thought or action.
While one does not want to continually correct self or others, one does want to be intentional about doing one’s part to reduce the uses of biases and prejudices in how we function as a community. This can best be accomplished by:
· Modeling inclusive language and actions,.
· Having a positive attitude.
· Trusting that we humans are not our worst behavior
· Remembering that we need to treat others who may demonstrate biases and prejudices the way we want to be treated when we fail to be our best selves.
Written April 8, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett. org
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