But your bias is worse than my bias

SOURCE

According to the article above "3 in 10 Americans Admit to Race Bias". Race bias. Let's dissect that a little bit, twist it up, and swap out a few premises. Let's begin shall we?

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because he/she is of the [insert here] race or ethnicity than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because he/she is [male/female] than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because he/she is [gay/straight/transgendered] than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because he/she is from the [insert here] part of the country than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because he/she is from the [insert here] political party than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Is it any more biased to vote FOR someone because of his/her support of the [insert here] issue than NOT voting for someone for the same reason? Bias is bias.

Of course this applies to more than voting. It applies to everyday life. Every decision we make is influenced by our biases, preferences, and prejudices no matter what we may deny to the contrary. This isn't an inherently bad thing. It is based on our survival instinct. Remember that "instinct" can also be a learned response from parents, friends, teachers, professors, clergy, media, TV, advertisers, the press, pundits, artists, musicians, authors, and so on. All of these external sources influence and shape our biases over our lifetime. I'm no PhD (obviously) but it makes sense to me.

Bias is not a negative concept. It is what it is. What we do with it and how we use it as a bludgeon against someone else is another matter entirely.

So why is it more socially acceptable to be FOR than AGAINST? I guess it depends on who is asking the question...

Mood =