Thoeries of implicit bias and personality

Clayton Allison

11/3/17

p.3

Reflection

Over the past eight weeks, we have been discussing a variety of different bias’s and personalities. Everyone and everything has one type of bias or another, people, dogs, cats, fish, etc. The general public makes some positive generalizations as well as some negative towards society. In the ted talk “how to overcome bias”, Verna Myers states that people need to “stop trying to be good people, we need real people”. This being said, she believes that it is better to always just tell the truth about how you feel, rather than act fake and try to be perfect. In the “my personality myth” invisibilia podcast, an individual stated that “personality can change”. They stated that the events that have occurred in one’s lifetime, has the potential to change their point of view on that topic forever. “A large influence on individual’s personality and bias generates from parents” states an individual interviewed on the NPR “The personality myth”. Here they go on to explain how parents are a pretty large influence on children and the bias’s that they develop throughout childhood, some that they may not even know they had.

 

There are some topics discussed that I personally do as well as do not agree with. Starting with “people need to stop trying to be good people, we need real people”. I totally agree with this statement. I believe that instead of trying to fit in with everyone else in society, we should live by how we feel is truly right. Next, being “personality can change”. I disagree. I personally think that one’s personality is who they are at heart as a person, and that will not ever change, no matter how hard you fake it. This being said, I believe that each and every individual is their own person and has the right to be who they want to be. Lastly, “A large influence on an individual’s personality and bias’s generates from parents”. I agree with this statement. I say this because, realistically a child only knows what they have been taught. I think that biases are generated and developed through childhood and how the individual was raised.

 

Everyone has their own control over being who they want to be, but at heart your true personality has been forming since birth. This being influenced by everyone around, especially parents. My personality has a big impact on my identity and who I am today. A lot of my personal bias’s and beliefs have been influenced by my family. I feel that my family is right, and I should listen to them, as do most other people. Other individual’s identities may be formed around events in their lives causing them to think or believe what they do. The choices we make as individuals, reflects the morals and beliefs of our identities, though everyone’s identity is strongly impacted by relationships with family members.

“It’s not over until it’s over”

I chose this for my flash fiction piece, because it is significant to my dog’s life, as well as our relationship. When she was a young puppy, she was always locked in a kennel and didn’t get to eat often or receive much exercise. This was until I came along to rescue her, bathe her, and feed her. Her life was permanently changed forever that day. This was a good learning event that taught her a lot about life. She learned to never give up and to always keep hope, because life really isn’t over until it’s over.

Rationale

I chose a picture of me and my dog together when we visited Colorado. I chose this picture because she is my best friend and this is one of the best times that I’ve had with her. People typically stereotype dogs and say that they don’t understand humans. I think that dogs can portray more personal and personality traits than some humans, especially my dog.

            She is loyal to me and my family and never acts to be someone or something she is not, she’s very true. That’s also what she brings out in me, I can be myself around her. At school I may act quiet and stay to myself because that’s who I am. But it’s a different story with my dog, she opens me up to show all types of emotions. She has a special sense of intuition that I love about her. No matter what, she knows when I am mad or upset and is there for me. She knows when something is feeling off or not right. Every time she sees me she acts as if it’s the first all over again, she is excited as can be. For a dog, you don’t necessarily have to do anything special so to speak, just be there for them and they will definitely be there for you. I can make my dog’s day really quick and easy by doing something as simple as taking her on a walk outside, and this means the world to her. Where humans are consistently wanting something new to be happy.