The Paper
Paul & Nome Van Middlesworth, The Computer Factory www. thecomputerfactory.net
The Internet and social media impact on American culture. Part II of ?
Bias plays a major part in American culture. Good or bad, useful or not, natural or man-made. We begin that discussion today
My nineteen-month old greatgranddaughter, Riley, (pictured above) is the star of this week’s column. A large family group was celebrating grandson Joe’s seventeenth birthday outdoors at Pizza Port last week when a couple with two large dogs approached a nearby table. Riley immediately wriggled out of her seat and headed for the dogs. Riley’s experience with our amiable family pets has led her to believe that all dogs are affectionate face lickers and great fun to romp with. Her parents however, have learned that some dogs have a darker side. They rushed to inter-
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cept Riley’s enthusiastic dash long enough to confirm with the owners that their dogs were indeed child friendly. They supervised the interaction as Riley enjoyed a happy, energetic and well reciprocated introduction ritual with her brand new furry friends. Riley’s parents have accepted the commitment that allows her to enjoy consorting freely with friendly animals while they provide the “common sense” until she is able to protect herself with her own judgment through maturity and experience.
All of us have seen children that cower and whimper at the sight of a large dog. As an alternative to the approach taken by Riley’s parents, allowing or encouraging a child’s natural fear of unknown quantities like large dogs is certainly a valid way to protect them. It also puts far less of a burden on the parents. Both of these strategies involve the concept of assigning characteristics that are possessed by some but not all members of the group known as “dogs”. In simple terms, Riley’s action was base on her belief that all dogs are good. The alternative assumption is that all dogs are bad. Neither assumption is true but both represent strategic approaches to parenting. Riley’s parents are obliged to protect her from misapplying her flawed judgment until she is able to make rational decision of her own concerning her relationship with large dogs. The alternative strategy relieves parents of that responsibility by ensuring that the child will avoid contact with all large dogs until they are able to make a rational judgment for them-
selves. If you live in an area where poisonous snakes are common, it is better to teach small children to fear all snakes than to attempt to teach them the subtle differences in appearance between dangerous and harmless snakes. Education is great but misapplied, it can be fatal. To arrive at a common sense or real world understanding of “dogdom,” Riley will eventually learn that there are plenty of dogs in the world that do not fit her flawed perception that all dogs are good. Her counterpart will hopefully someday develop a rational basis for understanding that most dogs are not bad. Riley helped us to understand an eternal truth. Any judgment based on an assumption that a positive or negative characteristic possessed by some members of a group is shared
by all members of the group is false. Whether its dogs, snakes or people, a valid judgment concerning the value, motivation or inherent vice or virtue of any human should never be based on that individual’s membership in any group classified by race, ethnos, religion, sex, body shape, etc. This is the false notion known of “identity politics.” Valid judgments concerning human actions or motivations must derive from the knowledge that each of us is an “individual.” Being recognized as an “individual” trumps the hell out of being a miniscule chunk of some “identity” group. Bias seem to be hard wired into our DNA. Are they survival strategies or “inherent evil.” Tune in next week and judge for yourself.
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