Eye of the Beholder, by Nelson D Reyes

Eye of the Beholder

Biases are here to stay-planted and cultivated by different cultures, traditions, and yes, beliefs as well-by theology and secularism.

One makes an assumption of what one sees and overtly say what one thinks it is. Implicit and explicit biases together in what one sees. What you see is not likely what you want to get. Or what you think it was.

Consciously we say black is black and white is white, aware of our prejudices toward certain societal groups. And we say so overtly anyway come hell or high water. Riots and unrests we see.

And then there are the Karens and Kens.
Automatically make judgments of certain societal groups: the non-whites. Eye rolling all over. Devouring looks as well. The manager is called. police is called, “that’s not your garbage” said.

I am not sure what’s in the minds of those who claim they are free of biases. I can not imagine anyone liking all the foods or the kinds of foods offered to them. Although I must admit i like to eat everything but generally I scratch where I itch. Morality should be the encircling thread towards the biases amongst us. Like your next door neighbors who preferred to be colored human would likely be sharing the goodness in them at all times.

The goodness, the kindness inherent in us dwells in our heart. Random acts of kindness and goodness from our hearts are the greatest words unspoken... a giving of yourself your soul your empathy... a sharing of your love... Let’s take a bias action to share this with all our acquaintances, friends and strangers alike. Needless to say with our loved ones. Then and only then can we be able to see the beauty in others yearning for us to see not with our supposed opinions. Thus we maybe able to fully understand what C G Jung believed regarding what irritates us about others.

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©ndr 08.02.2023
Photo: FIFA Philippines vs New Zealand 2023 Group Stage

Robert L. Martin

Yes. "Kindness and goodness from our hearts are the greatest words unspoken." Great words. Prejudice has no place in our world. All humanity has to erase the word from their minds. It is the evil that's tearing the fibers that hold a loving society together. It is hard to do but not impossible. Great analogy, Nelson

Nelson D Reyes

@Robert L. Martin: …thank you Robert.👍

Grace C Chacón León

I disagree about "prejudices off" culture. I believe biases are necessary. We humans, with all our limitations, can not deal with uncertainty. We need to believe very fool things as "I trusted him the moment I saw him at the very first time", or " I do not like people from ?¿?¿?¿ country". I will try to explain myself. Prejudices are useful in order to take decissions, even if they prove wrong lately. And the vast majority of us have prejudices, we have biases, of very different types.

@Grace C Chacón León: I see two solutions. I do not like biases at all, but understand they have a "social function". The first solution is education and awareness. To know ourselves, to learn to recognize our own biases and laugh about them. Before taking any choice, trying to watch the scene from the most varied angles. The second solution. Most of our biases come from the existence of differences. Different races, cultures, meals, uses. As our world becomes more global, as we travel and know and meet very diverse people, we learn to accept that we have a very wide range of possibilities in almost every social group we meet. I mean, there are many types of people, with some major characteristics in different groups, in almost every group. Wherever you go you will find musicians, religious leaders, poets, cookers, mathematicians, gardners and so on. Perhaps in different proportions, but as groups, we are not that different. Getting in touch with different social identities helps understating this, and undermines biases. So, lets travel and have friends all over the world. Lets mix up. jajajajajaaj Saludos.

@Grace C Chacón León: agree with you wholeheartedly…what the poem is all about…taking a bias action towards empathy…understanding different sets of beliefs from different cultures…from another perspective nurtured by different circumstances…thanks for your further insights Grace…we’re on the same boat…👍

@Nelson D Reyes: …prose is all…

Kurt Hube

Thank you, Nelson, for this very loving and insightful post.

Francis Aparici

I try to have just one prejudice; only against evil. But sometimes other biases show up - like I don’t like people with eyes in the back of their heads. I don’t trust them.😊😊