Tag: Bias

Latest Read: The Witches Are Coming

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date September 20, 2022

The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West. Lindy is a columnist at The Guardian, a contributor to This American Life, and a freelance writer appearing in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Vulture, and Jezebel.

She is the founder of I Believe You, It’s Not Your Fault, an advice blog for teens, as well as the reproductive rights destigmatization campaign #ShoutYourAbortion.

Following the release of her book Shrill, she launched a streaming show about her life. So, this book is a series of cultural essays and supports her previous book and TV show. Lindy is addressing Harvey Weinstein, the #MeToo movement, Trump, climate change, misogyny, white nationalism, and even Adam Sandler.

As a follow up to Shrill, her social media hashtag launch #ShoutYourAbortion is further addressed. Perhaps the mission of her book is to indicate that America has not learned about the impacts of sexual abuse, fat shaming, rape culture, abortion, and the gender pay gap.

Yet, Lindy is accurate to document whenever a woman does stand up, the counter attack is the title of this book. At the same time, Lindy writes about how people are with Ted Bundy’s “charm and charisma”. Drawing a line that Bundy murdered women, somehow the judge leaned towards wanting to interact with him and basically buy him a beer.

Tags Bias, culture, influencer, Lindy West, The Witches Are Coming

Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: In a Different Key

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date August 24, 2022

In a Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan, Caren Zucker. This book was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize. John is a journalist, broadcaster and debate moderator. Caren is a television news producer who has worked most extensively with ABC News. She also produced and cowrote a six-part series on autism for PBS in 2011.

The subject is certainly a challenging topic for many. Likewise, this book should be mandatory reading, not just parents of an autistic child. In fact, this can be used as a 101 textbook for society.

John and Caren are providing a foundational history of Autism. In fact, they are indeed providing the historical context to understanding medical and social developments in treating children. There is certainly a wealth of insights for any reader. Much of the discovery will surprise the reader.

Instead, their approaches treating children for “autism” began in the 1930s. Historically the examination of treatments for children labeled insane span the early 1900s. However, a significant European study was delivered on June 4th 1944. However, D-Day landings insured the report would be given little attention across Europe and in America.

John and Caren introduce Donald Triplett, the first child to be documented with autism. Dr. Leo Kanner who published a landmark paper Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact in 1943 established Donald’s diagnosis.

This contradicted the tale of Bettelheim’s theory of autism, in which the lack of a mother’s warmth to her child was the source of autism. This theory is also known for some reason as Refrigerator mother theory due to the term established in the mid 1950s as a label for mothers (or fathers) of children diagnosed with autism or schizophrenia

Tags autism, Bias, Caren Zucker, culture, knowledge

Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: The Bias That Divides Us

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date July 27, 2022

The Bias That Divides Us: The Science and Politics of Myside Thinking by Keith E. Stanovich. Keith is Emeritus Professor of Applied Psychology and Human Development at the University of Toronto and former Canada Research Chair of Applied Cognitive Science.

He is the author of over 200 scientific articles and seven books. He received his BA degree in psychology from Ohio State University in 1973 and his PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan in 1977.

Since the beginning of the pandemic I have read quite extensively. This one really makes me think deeply about bias. Dr. Stanovich is providing a lot of insights when addressing bias. In addition, the writings address the political polarization that is tearing this country apart. This is a deep dive, it should really consume your time in addressing myside bias.

He is certainly addressing “myside bias” which is more commonly refereed to as confirmation bias. In fact, Myside bias is an outlier. It is very interesting to understand many, including very intelligent people do fall victim to this bias. However this is complex. One element of myside bias is less than impactful to impact our testable beliefs. These bias are easily checked against empirical reality.

Tags Bias, confirmation bias, Keith E. Stanovich, MySide, The Bias That Divides Us

Education Reading

Latest Read: Lessons from the Edge

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date July 22, 2022

Lessons from the Edge: A Memoir by Marie Yovanovitch. Marie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and Russian studies from Princeton University. She studied at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow, and then was awarded a Master of Science degree from the National Defense University’s National War College.

Marie served the State Department as Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (2004–2005), Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan (2005–2008), Ambassador to Armenia (2008–2011), Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (2012–2013), and finally Ambassador to Ukraine (2016–2019). Today Marie is a diplomat in residence at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University.

The early chapters introduce Marie’s family in Russia. After resettling in Canada, Marie traces her early life and education. This book is certainly providing a reader with the understanding of the US Diplomatic life. This also includes her early diplomatic assignments in Somalia, Britain, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. At the same time, Marie was confronting bias all along her career. There are stark parallel lines to Fiona Hill’s book There is Nothing For You Here. There are many striking parallel lines between Marie and Fiona.

Tags Bias, Foreign Service, Lessons from the Edge, Marie Yovanovitch

Education Reading

Latest Read: There Is Nothing for You Here

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date July 1, 2022

There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century by Fiona Hill. Fiona holds History and Russian degrees from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. At Harvard University, she earned a Masters in Russian and modern history, and a Ph.D. in Russian history.

There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century by Dr. Fiona Hill

Today Fiona is a senior fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe in the Foreign Policy program at The Brookings Institution.

She served as deputy assistant to the President and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council from 2017 to 2019. In addition, from 2006 to 2009, Fiona served as the leading national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at The National Intelligence Council.

Fiona is certainly delivering an immensely personal view of her life. If you approach this as an impeachment tell all, look elsewhere. This is a well told story regarding repeated bias Fiona has encountered from childhood to The White House.

This is an invaluable lesson that bias reaches far and wide and the impacts are indeed life changing. However it should not overshadow her role as an expert service our country. Her last service ran into a wall of bias and ignorance. Life in Bishop Auckland, England, her place of birth also mimics many post World War II industrial regions. All were hard hit by economic reforms in the 1980s.

From England to Russia to America

I found a very striking message: the failing economies of the UK and Russia now appear across the US. That is a growing concern indeed.

Her journey from a coal mining town to Harvard University, then to the White House is impressive. Better still is now Fiona shares how she overcame many biases to achieving success. This includes vulnerabilities to the slightest email bias.I am confident this resulted in policy written by less than the best qualified.

Bias begins in school

It is refreshing to learn how Fiona earned top marks in her middle school while taking her country’s standardized testing. This permitted her the luxury of entrance to a top tier school at St. Andrews University. Yet, bias in UK schools is not different from American schools in the lack of female students perusing STEM careers.

Tags Bias, Dr. Fiona Hill, There Is Nothing for You Here