No one should ever claim oneself as unbiased. amirite?

"I'm not biased, everyone I agree with says so!" People think they're the pinnacle of logic without realizing they're not immune to biased thinking. Myself included.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

being self aware and quickly admitting they're wrong goes a LONG way for me. thank you.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Also people are acting like the accusation of bias is a moral failing when really it's just a normal thing that everyone has. I one perfectly dissects their bias but it's important to realize it's there when you're trying to communicate or understand something.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

In what sense may I ask?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Unbiased makes more sense in context. Such as if two people are having a scuffle, and a third unrelated person comes in and tries to reason with them, that would be an unbiased person in relation to the argument as they aren't affiliated with any singular person in the disagreement.

by Lebsacklowell 1 week ago

But that third person is bringing with them their own experiences, values, and ideologies that surely makes them biased.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

The problem is that unless the third-party is blinded (in the same manner that blinding occurs in research studied) they will almost certainly immediately become biased upon becoming involved as an arbiter. I'd go as far as to say that an individual would need to be 'objectively' unbiased (which as you point out, is impossible) to avoid becoming contextually biased in such a scenario. I don't believe there's any practical way for any person to mediate an argument free from bias. They'd almost certainly develop some sort of personal preference toward one of the parties.

by Full-Many 1 week ago

Can you be biased presenting unbiased facts? If I say a mile is 5,280 feet, where is my bias in that?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

No. The point (I think) is not that everything you say is biased. It's that everybody is biased to some degree. But yeah facts are facts. I guess your bias would determine which facts you pick out to make a case

by Secure-Ad946 1 week ago

Well you obviously have a bias against the metric system.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

If I don't know what the metric system is, can I still be biased against it?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Yes, in that case you would be biased for the system you know and against all the systems you don't know.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Are you inherently biased against the system of measurement I made up that you don't know?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Personally, I'm biased for it

by Anonymous 1 week ago

As the statistician in the room I have to say yes you can be. There was a sports columnist years ago, Matthew Berry, who would point out that he could convince you *any player* was the best player with cold hard facts. And he could. He would list statistics from Player A and Player B, making Player A look so much better than Player B, but then would reveal who they were. 9 times out of 10, Player B was objectively a better player, but he would cherry pick statistics and facts that made A look good and B look bad. The saying goes: "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics." This is incredibly true, and very easy to get caught up in, even being aware of it. Always beware "cherry picking" for example, ESPECIALLY if it's about something you already believe. Question everything, where the data came from, etc. I still fail at this myself despite being hyper aware of it. TLDR: Facts can be true and still lie to you at the same time

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I think "convince" is the operative word right there. Not sure how pointing out that Ohtani has hit 11 HR this season could be biased.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Sure if you are just randomly stating that Ohtani has 11 HR, but why are you telling me that? Tryna sell me an Ohtani Jersey? 😉

by Anonymous 1 week ago

you dont usually say "in this discussion of length, I am completely unbiased, and dare I say a mile is 5280 feet" but what I'm trying to say here is that some people have a really hard time why others doesn't get something. some people put their opinion up there at the same place with plain mathematics and stuff. and then get angry when others try to debunk, or make discourse about that thing.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I hate to do this but.... could there be bias in you assuming that's the case?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

yeah of course. I've omitted saying "in my opinion" so it may look like I'm absolute about this but I know it may not be. but would you really disagree that those people exist?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Regardless, that doesn't change the fact that a mile is 5,280 feet.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Yeah I'm not saying that.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Choosing what fact to present is bias

by Anonymous 1 week ago

If I'm biased about saying a mile is 5,280 feet, does that mean it's not 5,280 feet?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Right but that demonstrates an inclination. There's no inclination in stating a simple fact.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Fair point

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Okay, let's say they didn't offer up the fact. Let's say I asked them how many feet is in a mile, and then he gave the fact. Now where is the bias?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Lets get wild with it. If I show the color red to you, a pistol shrimp, and a dog. I'm probably going to get 3 different answers. When you say red, is it bias or inclination that led you that answer? I sure as hell don't know and its kind of crazy saying that any agreeable observation is biased either to human physiology or communication, but hey that's where we are I guess. So yeah I guess saying 5,280 feet is a mile is biased to agreed upon human communication.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I just don't understand how stating a simple fact can be biased. If I say "I own an iPhone", how is that biased? What's the inclination?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Because you can pick and choose ‘simple facts' and omit others to convey a narrative, for example you chose to say ‘there's 5280 feet in a mile' to convey your opinion that you can be unbiased

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Right, so we can claim our facts are unbiased and I can be unbiased in presenting them. If I say "this is the deed to my house", where is the inclination? What bias am I showing by pointing that out?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

It is biased in the sense that you have used that fact to prove you disposition that that is indeed the deed to your house, while someone trying to prove the opposite could omit that But we're arguing about semantics here, the point is facts can be weaponised to instill an agenda

by Anonymous 1 week ago

No no, I'm not proving anything. I'm just pointing to a piece of paper and saying "that is the deed to my house". Where is the inclination? We can go even dumber. If you and I are walking outside and I say "that is a tree". Where is my biased inclination?

by Anonymous 1 week ago

And you are pointing to that deed because you believe that it is the deed to your house

by Anonymous 1 week ago

well is it actually a deed to a hospital? no if it says deed to that specific house, it's a fact and not biased :)

by Elenornicolas 1 week ago

If you have to ask, then you don't know. If you don't know, there's no bias.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Of course facts can be presented in a biased way. Someone could have biased reasons for bringing a fact up at the particular time that they did, or for bringing up one fact and not another. You can wrangle a bias into anything.

by Veumrosemary 1 week ago

Everyone has biases. They are an unconscious feature of our preferences. However, there is a respectable and recognizable level of impartiality that is required to act in good-faith- this is predicated on being not only self aware, but having integrity. So, if someone is acting on their biases, they are perhaps lacking in those areas, and it's not a good look.

by Unable_Process 1 week ago

So well said!

by kautzermekhi 1 week ago

Thanks. Hope it made sense.

by Unable_Process 1 week ago

I agree. In some situations what one person experience can be very different to what others experience. And using that experience to make a point can make for some easy bias. This is usually why I say "In my opinion" when discussing something

by Anonymous 1 week ago

thank you. this is like the biggest thing that makes me avoid engaging with someone.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I claim myself as biased to get out of Jury duty.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I'm unbiased tho

by Anonymous 1 week ago

People don't understand that a very few people, who don't fall for propaganda ever, are unbiased. unbiased as in they objectively think that a particular thing is right, irrespective of others opinion. Being objective in 100% of things is impossible, but for most of the things? It is. You can tell me whatever politician told this or whatever celebrity told that, I'll not believe you nor will I make a judgement on that based on your own opinion. If you want to know, I'll research about it then give the objective answer. Anyone is welcome to try me. Things on which it is impossible to be objective, I'll tell you beforehand.

by One_Philosopher5640 1 week ago

Depends on if you mean completely unbias on every opinion ever, or just being unbias on certain opinions. I think the latter is possible but not the former

by Feisty_Talk 1 week ago

There really is no such thing as an "objective" POV. We all think we're logical, reasonable and rational but we all have our biases, prejudices and limited understandings.

by MaleficentDinner 1 week ago

Yes and no. Nobody is unbiased but that's still doesn't mean it's not a noble goal even when it's not entirely possible.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

yeah I think reaching for an ideal is a beautiful thing but claiming that is another thing really.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Everyone thinks their beliefs are 100% fact based and rational, and it's the other side who are a bunch of biased idiots. It takes a lot of self awareness to admit we are all biased, like you said.

by CompetitiveDealer 1 week ago

I agree. There is no question of whether or not someone has biases. We all do, based on our personal experiences and knowledge. The question is how severe are the biases and how conscious they are.

by Walkercoty 1 week ago

It's basically poisoning the well in reverse. Not a very meaningful claim.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I think a person can be unbiased in very specific situations but generally I would agree with you

by Head-Medicine 1 week ago

Everyone has bias. Everyone, whether they want to admit it or not.

by alisharodriguez 1 week ago

It is biologically impossible to be absolutely unbiased.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I think you dont like people who think based on 1st principals, maybe you are more of a flow guy, good for you. I think some people are just sort of indifferent to others opinions. Doesnt really matter who is biased, who is not. I mean sure its all fun when its everyday conversation. For some, being unbiased is more important than building some meaning.

by tracefritsch 1 week ago

I'm biased but not where I am always on one side. Like usa politics I wouldn't say I'm completely on the left cause I don't believe in segregation. But I'm not completely on the right because I don't believe in segregation

by Jessyca88 1 week ago

If you are genuinely unbiased, it probably means you don't have the experience to judge the situation.

by roberto42 1 week ago

Erm actually, you'll find I am completely unbiased because I have defined unbiased as agreeing with me.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

As my man Garfield famously said: "You are not immune to propaganda".

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I would never say I'm unbiased, ofc I have biases. However I would say I'm able to distinguish between facts and opinions and admit when I'm wrong a lot more than many.

by janaschmidt 1 week ago

No such thing as an unbiased opinion.

by Sea_Help6995 1 week ago

Every thief thinks everyone steals, every liar thinks everyone lies and every biased person thinks everyone is biased. I guess technically you can say everyone is biased, but some people are biased with the truth.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

Nobody can be completely unbiased. That's why scientists incorporated the peer review procedure. Bias can only be minimised. Not eliminated.

by makenna59 1 week ago

People don't create meticulous ideas, they just lack retrospect and don't truly challenge their own ideas. It's not that their ideas make sense to them, it's that they never ask why doesn't the idea make sense. People become truly unbiased when they challenge their own ideas as if it came from their sworn enemy. Prove your own ideas beyond any doubt. Even then, humans are not capable of keeping this up. So I do agree with what you said of having to recognize that we are biased, but I say go beyond this. You can still declare that you have perfected some of your own opinion, but say specifically if there is an area that is "weird" because there is some biases you cannot disperse. But this is still tough because once again the apathetic assholes who don't challenge their own ideas, will claim to be unbiased. So it will be hard to figure out who is truly unbiased, until you start listening to their evidence for their ideas, if they provide any. If they don't you know they're fake.

by New-Quarter 1 week ago

It's human nature to be biased. Bias was a key component of our early survival. We had to be biased against things that didn't seem safe to eat, in case they weren't, for example. You can try to check yourself, but I don't believe it's possible to be truly and completely unbiased.

by Sandra05 1 week ago

Well you would say that

by Intrepid-Analyst-422 1 week ago

You can know for sure you are biased but never the reverse

by Edythebatz 1 week ago

Everyone's biased.

by Conscious_Manner3398 1 week ago

I look at everything with logic. I am literally unbiased.

by Full_Pain2038 1 week ago

education is a very necessary bias though, and a very valid one in order to learn

by xwilkinson 1 week ago

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a bias on certain things. I'm not gonna hire someone to do my accounting who has a criminal record for theft or fraud. Yes I have a bias because of your past so I'm not going to risk trusting you with my money. This doesn't mean I still can't be a victim of fraud with the person without a criminal record but I'll take my chances with this decision. I most likely would hire a woman over a man to be a nanny for my kids. I'm not saying this is fool proof but I would trust a woman over a man to look after my kids.

by Anonymous 1 week ago

I agree, I think the only way to be "unbiased" is to have no personal stake in the argument. Or several third parties come to a conclusion, based of facts and not stories

by Organic-Pass6649 1 week ago