If there is one thing we know about the brain, then it is that it finds change very difficult. Established patterns are hard to break, opinions and convictions are hard to change. Two specific biases play a large role here. A bias is a subjective way of information processing that prevents us from acting based on objective facts (even though we think we do). These biases are blocking a constructive debate about systemic racism. The first problematic bias is in-group favoritism. This is the tendency to prefer, and feel more connected to, people who look like you. This doesn’t always have to be about physical features, but those are the most obvious. They are the most likely candidates for people to use to categorize someone as part of ‘their group’. This bias plays a huge role in recruitment for example, which complicates work floor diversity efforts. The second bias that plays a role is confirmation bias. This is the tendency to process and interpret information in a way that confirms the conviction or opinion you already had. We rarely purposely go out looking for information that challenges our pre-existing convictions. This bias makes it so damn hard to find common ground in a public debate.
In-group favoritism plays a large role in the current situation, because most protesters are black. White protesters are a minority, and less often shown in the media. This stimulates an ‘us versus them’ attitude: this is their problem, the black community’s. In addition, the goal of the protests is to eradicate systemic racism explicitly targeted at the black (minority) population. Again: their group, the black community. Not ‘us white folks’. Confirmation bias plays a role because a large part of the white community thinks this a matter of black versus white (which strengthens in-group favoritism because ‘they’ are against ‘us’). No matter how many times it is explained that it is not about black versus white but everyone versus racism, this reasoning does not fit the narrative that they have already created for themselves. This is why the expression ‘black lives matter’ is so often interpreted as ‘white lives don’t matter’, and why the images of black protesters arguing with white police officers strengthen the conviction that ‘black’ has declared war on ‘white’. Again: not the case. But we can hardly hold it against the white community that their brains do what all our brains do: confuse subjective interpretations with objective facts.
And this works both ways. Social media is crawling with white people using the hashtag #alllivesmatter with the best of intentions, to show that they value the lives of the black community just as much as their own. A lot of them simply aren’t aware of the negative connotation this hashtag has gotten over time. But many people in the black community interpret this as a sign of support for the actual opponents of BLM (i.e. white supremacists).
To eradicate systemic racism, the support of the white community is crucial. It is essential to break through these biases in both groups, so that common ground can be found. A substantial number of white people have already spoken out. But it’s not enough. By being more visible in the public debate regarding this topic, they are the ones who can mitigate in-group favoritism. They are the ones who can make the white community part of the in-group. And the black community needs to make room for them, by acknowledging their own bias, and allowing white people to become part of the debate. The more white and black people share the spotlight, the more the white community becomes part of the in-group. You can compare it to football hooligans of opposing teams standing side by side in their country’s team jersey chanting the national anthem at the top of their lungs during the world cup. The boundaries of the in-group have shifted, which is exactly what needs to happen here.
If we manage to do this, then confirmation bias will work in BLM’s favor, instead of against it. If the white population recognizes themselves in the spokespeople and starts feeling part of the group, it will create cognitive dissonance in their brains: if I am part of this group, then I cannot be vehemently opposed to their points of view. This will cause them to (subconsciously) start thinking of reasons why this is their problem, and why they should speak out. My call to the black community is therefore to welcome the white population. Make them part of the group. Share the spotlight with them as much as possible. After all, it is not about color but about a deeply rooted, wickedly complex problem. A problem that will never be solved if we keep preaching to the choir. The only way to truly conquer racism, is to first acknowledge, and then conquer, our own bias.
Black lives matter needs white people
The Black Lives Matter movement has sparked a revolution that has gone global. Unfortunately, the sobering reality is that only the white population can make BLM succeed in its mission. Not a popular opinion, but let me explain
If there is one thing we know about the brain, then it is that it finds change very difficult. Established patterns are hard to break, opinions and convictions are hard to change. Two specific biases play a large role here. A bias is a subjective way of information processing that prevents us from acting based on objective facts (even though we think we do). These biases are blocking a constructive debate about systemic racism. The first problematic bias is in-group favoritism. This is the tendency to prefer, and feel more connected to, people who look like you. This doesn’t always have to be about physical features, but those are the most obvious. They are the most likely candidates for people to use to categorize someone as part of ‘their group’. This bias plays a huge role in recruitment for example, which complicates work floor diversity efforts. The second bias that plays a role is confirmation bias. This is the tendency to process and interpret information in a way that confirms the conviction or opinion you already had. We rarely purposely go out looking for information that challenges our pre-existing convictions. This bias makes it so damn hard to find common ground in a public debate.
In-group favoritism plays a large role in the current situation, because most protesters are black. White protesters are a minority, and less often shown in the media. This stimulates an ‘us versus them’ attitude: this is their problem, the black community’s. In addition, the goal of the protests is to eradicate systemic racism explicitly targeted at the black (minority) population. Again: their group, the black community. Not ‘us white folks’. Confirmation bias plays a role because a large part of the white community thinks this a matter of black versus white (which strengthens in-group favoritism because ‘they’ are against ‘us’). No matter how many times it is explained that it is not about black versus white but everyone versus racism, this reasoning does not fit the narrative that they have already created for themselves. This is why the expression ‘black lives matter’ is so often interpreted as ‘white lives don’t matter’, and why the images of black protesters arguing with white police officers strengthen the conviction that ‘black’ has declared war on ‘white’. Again: not the case. But we can hardly hold it against the white community that their brains do what all our brains do: confuse subjective interpretations with objective facts.
And this works both ways. Social media is crawling with white people using the hashtag #alllivesmatter with the best of intentions, to show that they value the lives of the black community just as much as their own. A lot of them simply aren’t aware of the negative connotation this hashtag has gotten over time. But many people in the black community interpret this as a sign of support for the actual opponents of BLM (i.e. white supremacists).
To eradicate systemic racism, the support of the white community is crucial. It is essential to break through these biases in both groups, so that common ground can be found. A substantial number of white people have already spoken out. But it’s not enough. By being more visible in the public debate regarding this topic, they are the ones who can mitigate in-group favoritism. They are the ones who can make the white community part of the in-group. And the black community needs to make room for them, by acknowledging their own bias, and allowing white people to become part of the debate. The more white and black people share the spotlight, the more the white community becomes part of the in-group. You can compare it to football hooligans of opposing teams standing side by side in their country’s team jersey chanting the national anthem at the top of their lungs during the world cup. The boundaries of the in-group have shifted, which is exactly what needs to happen here.
If we manage to do this, then confirmation bias will work in BLM’s favor, instead of against it. If the white population recognizes themselves in the spokespeople and starts feeling part of the group, it will create cognitive dissonance in their brains: if I am part of this group, then I cannot be vehemently opposed to their points of view. This will cause them to (subconsciously) start thinking of reasons why this is their problem, and why they should speak out. My call to the black community is therefore to welcome the white population. Make them part of the group. Share the spotlight with them as much as possible. After all, it is not about color but about a deeply rooted, wickedly complex problem. A problem that will never be solved if we keep preaching to the choir. The only way to truly conquer racism, is to first acknowledge, and then conquer, our own bias.