(a 4 min read)  Hi 🙂 If I say I am not biased, you would laugh me off. Why? Because I believe every single person realizes that she/he is biased towards the affiliation/ connection/ side that person is on, on whatever subject matter at hand. Now if you ask me; “how biased are you?” My answer is; “not by much” and that’s pretty much the answer one would get across the board regardless of how much bias there is.  Correct?

Let’s talk about how biased are you!……….. Let’s not actually 😀  Why?  Because this is what generates anger, hostility or in the least rudeness and ill feelings.  Isn’t this what we see happening day in and day out on social media?? We hope for it to change, every one of us does.

But is this change going to miraculously happen on its own??
Of course NOT ………. Then how?

It will start happening when the “other gal or guy” across from my screen stops…!

Or; I never do that myself, it is others that dwell in it. Therefore, not my problem…!

This is not said in a snarky or accusatory manner, not one bit of it. I ask that you consider/dwell/ ponder with me for a moment in the reality of this phenomenon that every single one of us sees happening all around us, along with the two rationales listed above.

The prevalent feeling / realization / numbness is; “it’s the other person and there is nothing I can do about it”.

But there is! If you don’t do it, then it is someone else’s problem.

But it is indeed your problem and my problem, so we need to do something.

DO WHAT? You ask!

There are two things each one of us can do actually, not just one 🙂

• Start with myself. As I start any discussion, remind myself, I am biased. Remember how we started this conversation? We all know we are somewhat biased, but we do not apply that knowledge into our actions. We may admit it if we are talking about bias in general. But during a conversation……. Pretty much never.
  So, I need to acknowledge it to myself before I start a discussion, or better yet, admit it in the beginning of the discussion and repeat it during the discussion.

  “That’s ammo to my opponent” you may think! Well, the gal/guy across the screen is not an opponent / adversary / foe……….. but sadly that’s how we’ve been conditioned to think of them. That gal/guy is simply coming into the discussions with their OWN bias just as I am! There is no war between ‘them’ and ‘us’. There is NOT. Division is a POISON professed for years and years by all faiths and philosophers.

  Let’s me and you stop drinking that poison! Again, this is still me, you and me deciding to STOP drinking the POISON.

• You and I can identify when a discussion gets; rude, crude, hostile, harsh, offensive, belligerent, quarrelsome or filled with personal attacks ……. Maybe I am the one who’s getting like that!! I am, after all, biased J to some extent.

  Either way identify it. If it is you, say; “Sorry that I have become rude or or or and I apologize.” Or say something to the effect of; “please refrain from personal attacks …. Or, you are being hostile and I’d love to continue if you’d refrain from such behavior.” Then be brave to NOT respond in kind and to refrain from continuing to point out ‘their’ shortcomings. Just quit the discussion. Not easy but you are capable.

You may shrug your shoulder. You may think nothing here is new, which is 100% correct. Or, you can choose to use this as a reminder that      I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE         in transforming the present poisonous environment that is almost accepted as NORMAL. No one No one wants this as the new NORMAL. But it is almost almost there……………..    You and I can do this. It is simple. Just requires one thing;

“I can make a difference”

Our freedom is based on this one principle……………….. “I can make a difference”     Let’s apply it.

My God and my Creator. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You cringe and even shed a tear when You see Your daughters and sons mistreat each other in physical encounters, and cringe just as much and shed a tear when they do it from behind a screen. To you it is just the same. May each one of us remember that doing it on social media is just as damaging to my sisters and brothers. You are a God of Love a Creator of Mercy, and Joy is what You desire for each one of us. May I remember that the least I can do is not be rude, crude, hostile, harsh, offensive, belligerent, quarrelsome and definitely not engage in personal attacks on anyone for ‘their’ bias, for I am also biased. I love You and I thank You my Creator. Amen.