OK, we’ve been talking about bias for more than a minute and started unpacking some of the connectivity between that and some of our core human issues. Continuing on this track, last time we went a little bit deeper into the ongoing issues of racial harm, dehumanization, and lynchings, and if you recall the closing question at the last segment: “Who in their right mind thinks you can take billions of gallons of crude oil out of the mantle of the planet, burn it up, and not replace it—while also pulling billions of gallons of fresh water out of the planet and not replacing it—and think, ‘No, we’re not having a negative impact on our environment’?”
You might be able to start seeing some of the connection between our issues as humans, our issues with each other, and its consequent blowback: our issues with the environment. Frankly, we have really been set up to steward this globe and yet have failed, period. And we are continuing to fail that obligation and privilege miserably.
Examinations over time conclude there are at least a couple of major intersecting buckets related to this disastrous shortcoming: the difference between collaboration and domination. And some of its justifiers are (drum roll, please), yes, bias! Bias against the creatures we are supposed to steward, bias against the animal, insect, plant, and water kingdoms, and while we barely understand these “relatives,” we somehow seem to have a largely common perspective of our right to dominate and control, use up and not replenish, and misuse and abuse (uhh… any of these patterns sounding familiar?).
And from what I can see, the crazy thing is this seems to be embedded in that question I referenced earlier: “Who in their right minds?” Well, I offer, maybe it’s not a “right mind” problem but a “biased mind” issue. Maybe the same bias dynamics that occur when people judge other groups by skin color are the same kind of bias-based mechanisms that have been directing our relationship with this planet, mother, and its creatures.
Maybe if we start factoring in our bias for comfort, our bias for control, our bias for possessions (it’s probably OK to factor in some bias for greed and bias against healthy sacrifice), more of us might have a better time understanding why what we are doing with the environment, its creatures, and each other is not working so well. Maybe if we start understanding some of the lessons of our Indigenous hosts on this continent, as well as our own ancestral heritages, we might actually manifest an environment and global society that is worthy of the sacrifices of our ancestors and the rights of our children’s, children’s, children.
Yeah, it’s possible, but first we need a collective dealing with ourselves, period of time. We need some sincere, what they like to call, “come to Jesus experiences”! And no, I’m not talking about the Donald Trump Jesus version.
Much love, always.