Racism, especially against African American individuals in the US, has garnered significant attention worldwide because of the severity of atrocities perpetrated against people in these communities by law enforcement. Nevertheless, most individuals, including me, have acknowledged that racism is a vice that society should abolish due to its negative reparations. Thus, people prefer not to be associated with racist statements or actions. However, my Implicit Association Test revealed that I have a slight automatic preference for whites over blacks. Hence, the results altered my assumptions of the existence and roots of racism.
Racial bias is deeply rooted in human society and propelled by norms and stereotypic ideologies that lead to implicit bias and the unfair treatment of minority groups. Therefore, dealing with the negative implications of racism requires identifying its root causes and encouraging stakeholders, such as media organizations, to champion progress toward change.
The IAT test revealed that I am slightly inclined toward believing that white people are good and quick to associate black individuals with evils. As a result, they encouraged me to reflect on my assumptions of racism and the progression of the vice. Although white supremacy is contrary to my beliefs, as I find it irrelevant to differentiate individuals based on their skin colour, society plays a significant role in shaping my values. Most of the narratives that describe or shed light on the culture of black individuals draw attention to their high levels of violence and associate them with crime (Banks, 2018).
Particularly, the media continuously spreads news about gun violence and other vices in black-dominated communities, thus reinforcing these stereotypic notions in the minds of individuals in the general population. Therefore, although many people do not support racism against minority communities and Black Americans, their ideas about these individuals’ behaviours and actions toward them are implicitly biased and do not encourage equality.
Unconscious bias is detrimental to the abolition of racism and societal development because individuals who exhibit them are unaware of their behaviours. Therefore, an effective solution to curb implicit bias is creating awareness to inform the population that these factors exist and guide them on identifying and avoiding falling victim (Roberts & Rizzo, 2021). Although individuals might not know how to react in high-pressure environments, their knowledge of implicit bias will guide them to get back on track in case they are affected by stereotypic ideas of minority groups. In addition, it is necessary to regulate what people see and hear from media and entertainment companies to prevent them from spreading news or information that showcases bias against others because of their race, gender, abilities, and identifiable attributes (Banks, 2018). Continuously educating individuals and reinforcing positive societal values through the media and influential individuals can help deal with implicit racism conclusively.
Racism is a vice rooted in American History, as Europeans used white supremacy to justify atrocities against other groups. However, the phenomenon has evolved over centuries and affected individuals’ relations in the US as some people suffer and are marginalized more than others. In modern times, no one would want to be considered racist. Nevertheless, people engage in racist actions without their knowledge due to the ideas they get from others and narratives held by the general society. Since the media and influential individuals like political leaders play a significant role in shaping American culture, they should take the initiative to inform the population about implicit bias and create awareness on how to avoid judging others.
References
Banks, C. (2018). Disciplining Black activism: post-racial rhetoric, public memory and decorum in news media framing of the Black Lives Matter movement. Continuum, 32(6), 709-720. Web.
Roberts, S. O., & Rizzo, M. T. (2021). The psychology of American racism. American Psychologist, 76(3), 475. Web.