Oxford dictionary defines bias as ‘the inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair’, whereas Merriam-Webster’s definition defines this latter as ‘a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly’.
A biased individual is actually a bigot albeit he feigns civilisation and modernisation. Bias, or prejudice, is not and will never be a trait of a civilised, subjective and honest man. Unhealthy pride, vain vanity, is an automatic trigger of the contagious ailment dubbed bias.
Illustrative instances better delineate such unfair dogmatism based on false and unjust judgements. “People from Casablanca are dishonest”, “teachers are too parsimonious”, “Berbers are the most close-fisted folks,” “bearded men are terrorists” and the like are statements imbued with unfairness and bias emanating from basically a tarred sick heart. There’s unfortunately a queer tendency to always generalise and put all humans in one basket! A man issuing such prejudices, say impurities, is far illiterate although he may have held a fake Phd, in hazy circumstances, and have scanned, may be have gulped down, a battery of volumes; sad to say, he hasn’t availed of the bulk of knowledge he’s already assimilated!
Is it, in any way logical to intentionally call someone by a part of his body? It is almost usual in Morocco to call someone ‘a beard’ because he’s growing one! Is it merely synecdochic or rather purely vituperative?! We are unfotunately amidst an amalgam of political and social stereotypes iterated by the mob in a parrot-styled fashion. A person is nicknamed ‘a beard’ and even a member of ISIS despite his being ignorant of the acronym and the whole story the media propagate. I well remember the old TV ad ‘shave and smile’; the unsaid therefore is rather ‘grow a beard and frown’.
Justice has it that all people be treated equally and equitably. Is it sound to fail a female student because she’s applying much make-up and wearing a short skirt?! Even though the actual appearance is banned by at least school rules, evaluation is based solely on knowledge mastery not on the outward image. Is it palatable to fail a male student because he’s growing a beard? The halo-effect fiercely dominates!
In “A review of race psychology», Garth, T. Rooster. (1930) attempted to prove white superiority, but swiftly changed his mind as he was faced with antisemitism. Three decades later, Gordon Allport deemed prejudice quite normal as the mind is led spontaneously to categorical thinking. Conversely, two decades later, the social psychologist Marilyn Brewer thought that the motive behind prejudice is a bunch of positive emotions such as love, trust and admiration and not necessarily hate and abhorrence. In his Integrated Threat Theory “ITT”, Walter Stephan argues that prejudice is triggered off when one feels threatened due to cultural differences or other reasons that jeopardize one’s comfort.
In conclusion, a prejudice-free environment is created and rejoiced by people with hearts as white as snow not as black as tar, people who loathe any favoritism or snobism whatsoever and treat people on an equal footing. Some people are all too brilliant, but usually silent, ergo they fail to impress those who mark and judge people on sight quite superficially and shallowly.
