Unconscious Bias or Unconscionable B*llsh*t ?

 


Given that Unconscious Bias training is now mandatory for all Fellows and all Council Members, isn't it time to have a look at this expensive charade ? I first encountered it when I read a former President's piece about her 'eye-opening' experience Real builders read the Times ... right ? Here's the gist. A builder is having lunch. Asked to visualise the scene most people think of a the builder as a white guy, overweight, eating a meat pie and reading the Sun, so far so realistic. Wrong, this is your Unconscious Bias kicking in, why couldn’t the builder be a black woman who drinks peppermint tea, eats falafel and reads the Financial Times? ' (I'm not making this up, click on the link).

You see how horribly biased you are - and it's unconscious too - bad vet, bad vet, bad, bad, bad, report for political re-education immediately ! 

In almost fifty years of adult life I've probably had hundreds of encounters with builders of every trade and description, and yes they were all white, overweight, had a bad diet and read a tabloid newspaper. So when questioned that's the image that pops unbidden into my head but it isn't the product of Unconscious Bias just fifty years of lived experience. 

Sending us for compulsory political re-education suggests the College has a very low opinion of its members. Maybe this is why they are trying to disenfranchise us.

Unconscious bias training is ‘nonsense’, says outgoing race relations chair


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