What is your blind spot?

Last week I discussed the inability of many to speak up about something incongruous and stupid due to social pressures, real or imagined.

The other extreme of this is having a blind spot.

People are generally motivated to view themselves in a positive light and biases are viewed as undesirable. We tend to think of our own perceptions and judgments as being rational, accurate, and free of bias when analysing our own decisions and positions.

However, when we are made aware of various biases acting on our perceptions, decisions or judgements, research has shown that we are still unable to control them. This contributes to the bias blind spot, as even if someone is told that they are biased, they are unable to alter their biased perception.

Our blind spots are the points in life where we cannot possibly perceive of any other legitimate way of viewing a particular idea or approach. The left can’t understand the right, and the right can’t see the value in the left.

Our blind spots cause us to negate contrary opinions and nullify the people who hold them. We become incapable of seeing any legitimacy in opinions and lifestyles different to our own.

Everyone is guilty of this, from the most fundamentalist ‘religo’ to the most fundamentalist atheist.

Although the blind spot is not ‘curable’, it can be treated. But like alcoholism, it requires the person to first acknowledge that they have a problem before it can be addressed.

Witch Hunts

Throughout history, witchcraft caused panic and fear among many communities. This resulted in the burning at the stake of anyone thought to be a ‘witch’ or believed to have dabbled in black magic. Unfortunately, it also targeted those only suspected of participating in this practice. 

In modern times, the  'witch hunt’ has become the act of seeking and persecuting any perceived enemy, particularly when the search is conducted using extreme measures and with little regard to actual guilt or innocence. At times it is sanctioned by government and at other times only by the ‘court of public opinion’.

Sadly, the casualties of these hunts are often innocent of the crimes they are accused of. During the McCarthy era, for example, many victims were perceived communists.

Often an innocent yet poorly judged comment or joke can lead to a person being labelled anti-Semitic. The abuse they subsequently suffer can, ironically, germinate negative sentiments within them, feelings never before thought of or considered.

Unfortunately, we see witch hunts happening everywhere, often targeting the innocent. The friendly overtures of a  teacher makes him a paedophile; an ill-timed joke brands the joker a racist; a poorly judged Facebook post labels the user a sex addict.

Are these innocents merely a casualty of war? Is it now accepted that the weeding out of society’s ‘scum’ necessitates collateral damage? Can’t we as a society read each story and controversy independently of popular trends and judge each person on their merit, rather than within a broader context?

My sense is we cannot.

We want blood, because even if there are unnecessary victims, at least we can sleep at night knowing that all the ‘bad men’ are behind bars, guilty or not.

An uneducated (or perhaps rational) view of MONA

Last week I visited the fame MONA art gallery in Hobart. By all accounts this is a "must see" when in Tasmania, or to quote the concierge at the hotel "You'll love it or hate it, but you have to see it."

I accept that I may not be the most cultured of individuals, but I would like to think of myself as being open and aware of my own ignorance. 

So when I see a famed artwork that looks like my infant nephew could have done it, I can accept that I am the one at fault and not the artist or their critics/fans.

But I too have my limits.

One of the centrepieces of the gallery is the Cloaca, a machine designed by Wim Delvoye (and a lot of scientists). It is a machine that is smelt well before it is seen. 

The purpose of the machine is literally to make human faeces. The machine is fed regular food daily through an insinkerator and then it methodically passes the digested food through multiple 'stomachs' and 'intestines', all mimicking the body. Finally the finished product is 'defecated' by the machine at 2pm every day. (According to a documentary I saw, you can purchase these 'prized' products for a mere $1500).

According to the artist, the Cloaca satirises modern art saying that most of it is ****, "this is a work of art about waste".

The only thing that remained with me after the exhibit, beside the unpleasantness of the smell that still lingers, is the irony that those who marvelled at the exhibit were the exact people the artist was mocking...

Who is missing the point, me or those who claim to understand...?

Education at its worst...

From the beginning of time until fairly recently, education was a family affair. The family unit in general and the parents in particular prodded, nudged and guided their young by teaching them skills, etiquette and acceptable behaviour.

As civilisation progressed and the demand for skills broadened beyond the ability of individual families, education needed to be outsourced and eventually evolved into what we call schools.

For better or worse, schools are the surrogate households of today and teachers, our children’s surrogate parents. If we are to judge an educational institution based on its success, what are the KPIs (key performance indicators)?

In my opinion, the education system in the west has evolved into a “12 years preparation for HSC”. Every year is just one more stepping stone towards that all-important ATAR, which, in turn, is only valuable in order to get into the best universities.

However, if a school produces many distinguished students with enviable grades, but who lack motivation for life, what is it worth? If the character of our children is not moulded and their morals not refined, of what value is their education?

Success in life, however one defines it, cannot be relegated to a number out of 100. Do teachers view their role as merely transferring information from their heads into the heads of their students ‒ a virtual USB data transfer?

Education needs to be reframed. It isn’t about teaching people what to think, but rather how to think. Education is giving children the life skills needed to know how to approach difficult problems, how to confront moral dilemmas and how to create meaningful lives.

No ATAR can ever do that.