Stigma And Bias Good For Our Society

Are stigma and bias good for our society? Unarguably, stigma and bias have become dirty words in our society, stemming from the negative connotations they have enabled in the past. Try as we might however, even in a time of social reform, many retain their biases and champion them. From my point of view, stigma and bias are self-limiting upon how we conduct ourselves, but they can play an important role in our lives, therefore reducing the sway of these sentiments can be advantageous to our growth as individuals and as a society. Stigma and biases have been a tool of oppression in the past, hence limiting our compassion for others. By reducing our capacity for compassion, they have made us blind to opportunity and new perspectives. In the field
The consequences that have arisen from ignorance have resulted in many lives lost, people starved and the ecosystem has been poorly managed. Stigma and bias can make us blind to opportunity and to how to best manage a situation, hence we need to work to reduce it. Whilst stigma and biases are limiting, they still have an important role to play in ensuring our own safety and fulfilment. Stigma and biases often arise from past experiences or societal norms, which can help individuals assess potential risks in certain situations. For example, if there is a stigma associated with certain behaviours or environments due to past negative incidents, individuals may avoid those situations to protect themselves from harm. More importantly, biases play an important role in our upbringing. Every interaction we have as we grow helps us to learn what to expect from certain situations, and how to respond. By observing and internalizing societal norms and biases, individuals can adapt their behaviour to better fit into their social environment and avoid potential negative