Confessions of a Prejudiced Person
I am like Cavlin, at times, a heavily prejudiced individual. I hold strong opinions and biases about many issues, one of which was recently brought to light. (Including certain food!) Not long ago, I was invited to a conference of professionals in a field of medicine I had neither expertise in nor knowledge about. I accepted the invitation with many prejudices and preconceived notions—only to be proven wrong! My prejudices are not limited to areas of expertise. They extend to certain people with whom I’ve had challenging experiences, and even to lifestyles, I don’t agree with. In some cases, I’ve had to eat the humble pie of being proven wrong. But even that doesn’t stop me from having preconceived notions or biases. I wonder why. In some situations, I am indifferent—I’m fixed in my assumptions and don’t want to change them. In others, I’m too preoccupied to try listening or learning. And then there are cases where I genuinely want to c...