I am a very biased human being. My set of experiences in life has led me to form opinions about what I like and dislike, what I think is correct and what I think is misguided. And this ranges from the mundane (preferred brands) to the aesthetic (I’m attracted to certain types of art and not others), and all the way to how one should be living their life (a comedian is a noble profession because they bring joy to the world, while the tow-truck driver is society’s vulture). These opinions are in no way ‘correct’ (there are plenty of terrible comedians and wonderful truck drivers), but they provide a jumping off point through which my life experiences are filtered, i.e. they are in some way ‘correct’ for me and my interpretation of reality.
Confirmation bias is defined as the tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions and avoids information and interpretations which contradict prior beliefs. So we form opinions about the world, develop biases based on those opinions, and then our awareness will confirm these beliefs by selectively showing us information in line with that while filtering out conflicting information.
Why does this system of filtering exist? What is it trying to show us? Going off the art example, I’m inherently drawn to certain types of music. So I seek out that music because it makes me feel good. And perhaps I discover a song that contains a message that truly resonates with me - it feels as if I was supposed to hear this line in this one song. And I can now internalize that nugget of personal truth and incorporate it into my life. Wasn’t it bias that led me to this understanding? Would I have found that truth in a different form had I not sought out the things I enjoy?
The flip side of this coin is just as potent. If someone hates a certain person, any information they receive about this person will be streamed through a filter that interprets things in a way to confirm their bias. Even if the information does nothing of the sort, to the biased observer it will prove their suspicion. Our awareness shows us what we want to see, whether that is positive (I love this, show me more) or negative (I hate this, remind me why).
This is where intention comes in. Confirmation bias seems to hum along under the radar whether we pay attention to it or not. But you can intend to seek out things you love rather than things you hate. Then you’re using bias to expedite the self-learning process and more quickly will be living the life you are meant to live.
