Try to imagine this. We were in a hurry to leave, we had an appointment at a restaurant, then the taxi driver greeted us, and when we arrived, we ordered spaghetti. Done?
I can pretty much be sure that we don't all imagine an SUV taxi, a female driver, and spaghetti in a bowl. The taxi must be a saloon car, the driver is male, and the spaghetti is on a plate, right. Why is it like that?
Because it's not common. Our brains have been designed to always be ready to meet everyday things that we have often encountered. It's also the reason we like to be in our comfort zone, because it's all common to us, and we're used to it.
This is not our fault, but this is the result of the evolution of the ancient human brain so that they can survive. They have to be aware that if there is a grass that doesn't stay still and shakes, usually there are predators lurking there, and that's a sign they have to run away.
Unfortunately, our brains are still designed that way. We often make wrong decisions because our brains are not objective, we only use instincts, and our instincts are often wrong. This is what is known as a bias. Bias is sometimes really annoying, and when it comes to essential things, it will be dangerous if we are still trapped by that bias. There is one way that can help us fight bias that I just watched in the video below.
Get ready to fight bias #
Before doing or facing something, try to imagine how the situation will be. After we have the picture, change the picture so it becomes something unfamiliar to us. It trains us so that we won't be surprised later if things don't go according to our expectations, and helps us realize that many possibilities could actually happen. Then, try to imagine what actions we will take to deal with this unusual thing.
After imagining our actions to deal with this unusual situation, try asking ourselves, would we still do this if the situation were different? For example, we have a male friend who invites us to eat together. Before refusing, let's ask first whether we will still refuse if the one who invites us is a girl? Or do we just refuse because we don't like being invited by him? Or do we really have a lot of work to be busy and can't hang out?
These few things can help us become more objective and less dependent on feelings and instincts. Yes, although there are also things that are wrong or even have to rely on feelings.
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