Look Twice

Greater Good by Susan T. Fiske | Aug. 3, 2008 (Review)

Susan T. Fiske has some bad news: Prejudice might be hardwired in our brains. But the good news is that we can still learn to override our prejudices and embrace difference.

Most people think they're less biased than average. But just as we can't all be better than average, we can't all be less prejudiced than average. Although the message--and the success so far--of Barack Obama's presidential campaign suggests an America that is moving past traditional racial divisions and prejudices, it's probably safe to assume that all of us harbor more biases than we think.

Science suggests that most of us don't even know the ... Full Story »

Posted by Leo Romero

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4.7

by Jeanne Roberts - Oct. 1, 2008

This is superb journalism, clearly demonstrating why even those of us who consider ourselves beyond common prejudice often react unthinkingly to visual or verbal clues that identify race or regionality. Our brains have been hardwired by "millenia of tribal warfare" to seek instant identification of a potential stranger, who might also be the enemy. For those interested in the mechanics of social psychology, this is a must read. For everyone else, the article offers a clue how to unwire prejudice; get to know the "strangers" among us.