Positive Bias

Imagine two cultural groups, the Oranges and the Purples. These two groups have a long history of opposition to one another and have many values in conflict. This opposition doesn’t always become direct violence, but violent conflict has definitely happened.

Now, imagine Sam. Sam is extremely pro-Orange and anti-Purple. Sam may or may not actually be an Orange; that’s not important. What is important is that they think the Orange position on everything is correct and the Purple position is incorrect. In Sam’s view, the Oranges are oppressed, noble, and justified while the Purples are terrible people to the last. Sam acts on this view often, by protesting Purple-owned businesses or picketing against Purple community events. If they find out someone they know is a Purple-supporter (or even, gasp, a Purple), Sam makes a big deal out of it, shouting at that person, trying to get them kicked out of groups that Sam belongs to, etc.

Now we have Chris. Chris also shares the same opinion as Sam on the Orange/Purple divide. They see Orange as good and Purple as bad, same as Sam. And like Sam, Chris acts on this view frequently, but in a very different way. Chris largely ignores the Purple-supporters, but seeks out Oranges and Orange-supporters and contributes to their well-being in various ways. Chris donates to Orange causes, helps Oranges in the local community, and patrons Orange-run businesses whenever possible.

Two people with the same views. But one is definitely the better person.

Chris isn’t just better than Sam because Chris chooses to help while Sam chooses to harm. That is better, but there’s a much more important reason that Chris’s course of action is the better one: Sometimes you’re wrong.

Look, we ALL carry biases, and many of them are totally subconscious. We all make snap judgements and use tribal reasoning. Obviously you should try to tamp that down, but you’ll never be totally successful. So you should act in a way where being wrong doesn’t automatically mean you’ve done wrong.

Imagine that the reality of the Orange/Purple divide is much more nuanced and complex. Imagine that the reality is that most Oranges and most Purples are very good people who have failed to resolve an understandable dispute with no clear right or wrong. Imagine that the stakes of their conflict are much lower than Sam & Chris think; neither side wants to exterminate the other, they’re just debating what color the public signs in their town should be or something. In that reality, both Sam & Chris had incorrectly calibrated views, but Sam hurt people over them. Chris just bought people lunch or helped in some other way.

In other words, the penalty for Chris being wrong is “bought a pizza from the wrong place.” The penalty for Sam being wrong is “protested an innocent local pizza place until it shut down.”

If you think one group deserves help and another deserves harm, focus on the former. Ensure that even if you’re biased, the results are still positive.