THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 - BIASES

 THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 - BIASES

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24792767-think-before-you-speak 

This week, I’ve been writing about biases.  

Okay - not all biases are bad.  Really.

Like, when I drive Interstate 35 going north - there are three lanes.  I have a bias to use the middle lane.  The right lane has cars entering and exiting, the left lane is for the speeders - so my bias is for the middle lane.  

And, strangely enough, when I drive Interstate 35 going south, my bias is the right lane.  This stretch of road frequently just stops and backs up.  I rarely go past exit 252 and I know the frontage roads and back ways to most of the places I travel to.  When I see brake lights ahead (a frequent occurrence), I take the exit (if one is close) and get off.

These are “ biases”.  I can change my mind depending on traffic.  (And, I do change my mind)

I have many biases at the grocery store.  I’m not sure my taste buds are the same at age 73 as they were at age 53. I like (really like) the off-brand peanut butter.  It is about 75 cents cheaper than the local (HEB) store brand for the 18-ounce jar and about a dollar cheaper than Jif or Skippy.  I like generic products than named products.  The cheaper HEB knockoffs are frequently as good as the other products - but not always.

UNLESS - my taste buds tell me “NO”.  I tried a cheap mayonnaise a while back.  Yuck (at least to my taste buds).  I would have gotten the HEB brand last time, but the size I get (that fits best in my refrigerator) was out, and I got a major brand name (and that is good).  

Okay - are those bad “biases”?  Can I live with biases?

How about this bias?  I am biased (or prejudiced)  towards white people to black people.  Not a good bias.

And, this one? I have a bias (prejudiced) towards smart, well-educated people.  I have a bias against dirty, smelly, poor white-trash people.  Maybe an okay bias - c’mon people take a shower - until I realize that they might not have access to showers and hot water!!

Where are “biases” the same as “judgments”?  

There is a THINK decision-making tool:

T - is it TRUE

H - is it HELPFUL

I - is it INSPIRING

N - is it NECESSARY

K - is it KIND

(Let’s throw in F - is it FAIR, and L - is it, LOVE)

First - is it true

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/true-5-factchecking-websites/ 

When the election was going on, there were fingers pointing on both sides of the aisle.  There were accusations of “False News”.  If something seems ‘fishy 'I checked fact-checking sites.

Maybe one of the best is MBFC - Media Bias Fact Check.  On Tuesday, March 16th, (which I wrote this), they were checking the following claims

**

“Biden is making ‘maternity flight suits’ so pregnant women can fight in the military.”

Politifact Rating: Mostly False (Introduced during Trump admin so that women with uncomplicated pregnancies can fight)

The Air Force introduced maternity flight duty uniforms before Biden took office

(So, lady air force personnel, if you are in an appropriate position, you can fly)

*****

FACT CHECK: DID JOE BIDEN THREATEN TO ‘CANCEL ALL US VISAS TO BE ISSUED IN THE PHILIPPINES’?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a CNN article reporting President Joe Biden threatened to cancel “all U.S. visas to be issued in the Philippines.”

Verdict: False

CNN has not published an article reporting Biden threatened to “cancel all US visas to be issued in the Philippines.” There is no evidence that Biden said the quote attributed to him in the post.

*****

Claim by Viral image: “Nancy Pelosi has invited all illegals to her mansion at 2724 Pacific Ave San Francisco CA.”

PolitiFact Rating: False (Even the address is incorrect)

No, this address isn’t Nancy Pelosi’s house

The rating was a “blatant lie” according to the fact-checking site

*****

On MBFC (Media Bias Fact-Checking), on the three days I checked, all the claims happened to be from the “right” - they do (seemingly) try to list claims by “right” oriented; “left” oriented; or “no particular political leaning. 

***** Option 2 - is it HELPFUL?

Helpful might be even open to biases!!  New article (made-up). “A man was killed in Leeds England overnight”.  I’m not sure how that is helpful to me.  Now “Rain forecasted for Central Texas” is helpful to me!!  (Remember to take your umbrella - which implies I need to remember where I left one of the three umbrellas I own).

WOW - this is getting longer than my normal posts.  So, we’ll continue this on Monday - and Friday LOVE WINS; Saturday Story; and Sunday Funday posts!!

LOVE DOES WIN (but we have to be open to love!!)

HUGS!!

Karen