According to Dr. Bezio’s podcast, implicit bias refers to the snap judgements we, as humans, make everyday when we see someone. These judgments can be made of people’s ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, ability, or gender. I feel as though snap judgments are only a small part of the ways implicit bias interacts with us every day. I see it more commonly in the ways people look at me when I’m wearing more boyish clothes than girlish, or when I’m entering a space where few look like me. I notice it when I dare to play the devil’s advocate in class. In reality, I feel as though everyone views implicit bias more so by the ways it may oppress or affect themselves, versus genuinely looking internally and acknowledging the ways we judge others. Not to say this is a bad thing per se: I think it’s a very human thing to do to want to know what others are thinking of you. But I feel as though the fact we never acknowledge we, ourselves, can be biased just creates space for more judgement. Similar to performative activism, recognizing someone else’s bias and pointing it out can be just as harmful as being outwardly biased yourself. This is to say, I feel as though sometimes it’s more important to be able to recognize and work on our own biases instead of seeking for the bias in others.

An interesting thought that crossed my mind throughout both the podcasts and the readings is the idea of how implicit biases come into play when justifying a moral argument. As mentioned in prior readings, moral arguments depend on an ultimate truth of what is right and what is wrong. This kind of judgement cannot be made without the help of our own implicit biases, which in turn makes morality quite subjective. Although we may all know this to be true, how is it possible, then, that we all agree on morally corrupt things?  I feel as though this is best exemplified in the death penalty and the “pro-life” movement. Many anti-choicer’s are quick to say that abortion, of any kind, is murder, and that no one has the moral authority to take a life. However, when it comes to black drug offenders, the sooner they are executed the better.  The implicit bias that an anti-choice person has towards liberated women or POC people may have, in my opinion, more to do with their anti-choice position than the actual value they place on human life. And yes I’m sure you can make the argument that a drug offender is not innocent but a fetus is, but then I’d argue who are you to decide who is innocent or who is guilty? I don’t know. Just rambling ethical thoughts now.