Rohan's blog

There is confirmation bias which makes you think of many conclusions which might be wrong. For example, when you think apple can cure cancer, you will search for the articles by those keywords. And sure enough you will find such articles.

By doing this you will end up in a bubble where you hear only the things which you want to hear. It’s like an echo chamber – and the more you dig, your theory seems to be confirmed by your bias.

A good inference can be drawn only when you hear both sides of the argument and give both a fair chance. And not let your bias play any role in the decision making. When you do so, you emerge as a sound person who is open to ideas, interpretations and makes decision which are strong.

Also it makes a good human being. You don’t want to be that person who spreads misinformation because of your bias.

The Start

The stereotype is in line with confirmation bias. You see an incident – say people saying stupid things and then you find some weird connection – say they are male.

And then whenever a male does some stupid things, you confirm your bias and make a stereotype out of it. Boom, there are jokes being made, people being targeted and so on. Either you make fun of many people by stereotyping them or you are in one such group.

When you get to the base of it, you realize stereotyping people is a bad thing to do. And it doesn’t help in anyway to anyone. Yes, those jokes are easy to made.

Profit And Breaking

Many companies want to keep those stereotypes so that they can keep their huge profits. For example, making unisex clothing would mean loss to companies. Because now they sell women’s clothes at higher margin. Similarly, although the fairness cream have more or less same ingredients it is targeted gender wise.

Once you make things unisex, price goes down and people might share things more cohesively and it will hurt the companies.

There are many such stereotypes which people at top want to maintain. For example, it helps in changing narratives in election by targeting the group of individuals.

And it keeps on going. The solution then is to embrace the reality and break the stereotypes when you want to.

If the society says, only women can sew clothes challenge them if you are a men and talented in sewing clothes. Don’t let your dreams to shatter or confined because of stereotypes made by someone by their confirmation bias. Rise above, go make something.