You–yes, you, my friend–you who are reading these words right now. You are biased!
So am I.
The idea that any person or entity could be completely unbiased is a complete and utter myth.
How you feeling with this post so far? Do you need a moment before you continue?
Go ahead and take it; I’ll wait.
So, as I was saying before the break, we’re all biased. We have certain ideas, beliefs, values, and preferences that we have determined to be superior to others. That doesn’t mean we are necessarily wrong, evil, or unreasonable. It just means we’re biased.
Well then, if we are all biased, then I have a question to ponder: Why do we complain that people or entities are not unbiased?
The question is actually easy to answer if we’re honest. We don’t like biases that we do not share. Perhaps we might say it this way: bias is in the eye of the beholder.
I don’t recall ever hearing these complaints:
“That guy thinks way too much like I do. He’s so biased!”
“These sportscasters are way too complimentary of my team!”
“The person I voted for is spending far too much time working for the things that matter to me!”
Full disclosure: I’ve been pondering the concept of bias for awhile, but I decided to write something about it during the current Major League Baseball playoffs, where my beloved Texas Rangers are, at the time of this writing, currently one win away from their first ever World Series title. (I’m still heartbroken over the last time they were one win away in 2011 and couldn’t get it).
For years I dreamed the impossible dream of an all-Texas World Series between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. And then, in 2013, the Astros moved from the National League to the American League and that dream was done.
A couple of weeks ago, we got the next best thing—Rangers vs. Astros in the American League Championship Series. It was an epic 7 game series in which neither team won in their home ballpark.
It was fun watching each game while scrolling Facebook to see what my friends were saying during the games. Rangers fans were being honest about the obvious bias the commentators had toward the Astros. I mean, seriously. And Astros fans are the worst trash-talkers ever!
And then I saw one of my Astros-fan friends comment on the bromance the commentators had with the Rangers. Insert eye-roll here. Seriously?
Bias is in the eye of the beholder.
If they are complimenting my team, they’re just stating the obvious truth. If they are complimenting the other team, they are so biased that the network should be embarrassed to employ them.
And don’t even get me started on athletes and celebrities getting political!
They need to just be quiet and do what they are paid to do! Unless they agree with my politics. In that case, speak up!
Bias is in the eye of the beholder.
And what about the “leftist” bias of CNN and the “right wing” bias of Fox News?
And what about the anti-Christian bias, anti-semitic bias, anti-muslim bias, anti-American bias … and on and on we go …
Bias is in the eye of the beholder.
Here’s my point for today: as long as we are entrenched in the idea that my biases are good and all opposing biases are evil, we will fail at anything that really matters.
If I’m going to push harder on anyone, it will be those who largely share my biases because I want to remind my tribe that we are called to something more amazing than seeing our preferences fulfilled. We are called to demonstrate the character of the Prince of Peace.
Be amazing today, my friend.
