Minority Bias

[grapefruit]

What would you propose be done?

I would propose that people have more exposure to minority populations. This is one of the reasons I advocate an inclusive educational environment where students can receive supplementary education as needed. Their would be classroom teachers in charge of setting out the curriculum and the teachers who previously worked in self contained settings could add curriculum modifications to accommodate students who are in the minority where their learning needs are concerned. For example, all students would follow the same basic history curriculum, but students with a faster paced learning style would have assignments that allowed for more in-depth exploration while students with slower paced learning styles would have assignments that introduced them to key concepts. Students would work on group projects together, and partake in multisensory learning experiences that would better engage all students. Additionally, protagonists who belong to minority populations should be more often depicted in books and the media without imposing inaccurate stereotypes. For instance, people who belong to minority groups could be present on dating shows like The Bachelor, as actors/actresses in movies, in realistic fiction books, and as heros in fantasy novels, not because they overcome an attribute the majority perceives to be a barrier, but because they save the world or something. However, this isn't likely to happen, and people who belong to minorities still suffer emotional distress because they are misunderstood and treated as if they were inferior. Just a few years ago, airlines in the United States made policies governing where paying blind passengers could sit on airplanes when they did not do so for sighted passengers. These policies have sense been eliminated, but similar occurrences are still present, which shows that the majority, at least in the United States, are inferior to the majority. People need to stop thinking they know what abilities a person has because of a known attribute.

 

[Saru Inc]

I wish I could inhabit your community because where I live, many of the visually impaired are bullied in school, met with lower expectations, provided with decreased educational opportunity, and considered problem employees by employers who have never met them, which is the main reason that unemployment for these individuals stands at 70%. Further, if you interact with this population or at least read internet blogs, you will learn that while this population can integrate with the majority, they often encounter biases like people who think they need to be cured, people who grab them without asking and pull them across streets, people who jab fingers in front of their faces, or people who gasp in horror if they use a white cane to traverse stairs. For instance, you might not believe me if I told you that blind medical doctors exist, very few, but they are there. However, you would undoubtedly have no trouble believing that people without visual impairments become doctors despite visual impairment being unrelated to intelligence. Your mind might find fault if it were to imagine a blind scientist, computer programmer, or engineer. If not, then more minds like yours could benefit the world, and you should know that in that respect, you are in the minority.

Do you live in a dr Seuss book?

 

[grapefruit]

Do you live in a dr Seuss book?

What do you mean?

 

[grapefruit]

Do you live in a dr Seuss book?

You're the one with the rhyming quote. Nothing I wrote rhymes.

 

[Saru Inc]

I mean the fact that I don't believe you whatsoever, and you live in a world that doesn't actually exist.


On a more serious note, in that world, the cats wear hats.


Also those are Muse's lyrics not mine.

 

[grapefruit]

I mean the fact that I don't believe you whatsoever, and you live in a world that doesn't actually exist.


On a more serious note, in that world, the cats wear hats.


Also those are Muse's lyrics not mine.

What do you mean? Believe me about what? About blind computer programmers, scientists, and engineers because those certainly do exist. I have met some of them. A blind chemist has actually invented a program so other blind chemists can attach probes to a computer and then put them in solutions so they can receive feedback concerning reactions in the form of sound and speech output. These probes can detect and create graphs of things like color and temperature changes. Also, blind people use raised line beakers and graduated cylinders along with notched syringes. Also, they can use small sticky dots called locator dots to mark bunzon burners to know what temperature they are set on. Engineer is kind of a broad term, but just because a person is blind doesn't mean he/she lacks the capacity to build things. In fact, blind people of the past were thought to be only suited to tasks that involved using the hands, so they were taught things like woodworking and pottery that they are excluded from in public schools today. Further, they use computer software that uses the CPU to convert visual output into speech or braille via a bluetooth or usb connected display. Also, there are portable PDAs called notetakers made especially for the blind where they can choose either a braille or qwerty keyboard, the option to use a built in braille display, speech output or both, the ability to create documents in various formats familiar to the majority as well as formats used explicitly by the blind, print documents or work with an embosser to convert them into actual braille pages, access the internet, play music, and perform various calculator, spell check, and clock related functions. To program, blind people must learn the language of their choice and refer to documentation frequently when first beginning. The blind programmer must download a compiler, define environment variables, and set up directories for program storage as needed. The only difference is that he/she will be responding to speech output, which can often be processed much faster than the majority can understand, and that the individual will use keyboard commands in place of the mouse. People with some vision often use programs that combine speech with larger text, along with magnifiers to enlarge images. I have referred to blind people so much because the quote you referred to had mostly to do with that population, but other minority populations use alternative techniques to do the same things as the majority.

 

[Saru Inc]

What do you mean? Believe me about what? About blind computer programmers, scientists, and engineers because those certainly do exist. I have met some of them. A blind chemist has actually invented a program so other blind chemists can attach probes to a computer and then put them in solutions so they can receive feedback concerning reactions in the form of sound and speech output. These probes can detect and create graphs of things like color and temperature changes. Also, blind people use raised line beakers and graduated cylinders along with notched syringes. Also, they can use small sticky dots called locator dots to mark bunzon burners to know what temperature they are set on. Engineer is kind of a broad term, but just because a person is blind doesn't mean he/she lacks the capacity to build things. In fact, blind people of the past were thought to be only suited to tasks that involved using the hands, so they were taught things like woodworking and pottery that they are excluded from in public schools today. Further, they use computer software that uses the CPU to convert visual output into speech or braille via a bluetooth or usb connected display. Also, there are portable PDAs called notetakers made especially for the blind where they can choose either a braille or qwerty keyboard, the option to use a built in braille display, speech output or both, the ability to create documents in various formats familiar to the majority as well as formats used explicitly by the blind, print documents or work with an embosser to convert them into actual braille pages, access the internet, play music, and perform various calculator, spell check, and clock related functions. To program, blind people must learn the language of their choice and refer to documentation frequently when first beginning. The blind programmer must download a compiler, define environment variables, and set up directories for program storage as needed. The only difference is that he/she will be responding to speech output, which can often be processed much faster than the majority can understand, and that the individual will use keyboard commands in place of the mouse. People with some vision often use programs that combine speech with larger text, along with magnifiers to enlarge images. I have referred to blind people so much because the quote you referred to had mostly to do with that population, but other minority populations use alternative techniques to do the same things as the majority.

Yes, because out of EVERYTHING, that you said in the aforementioned post, that is the ONE thing I didn't believe. Everything else was fine and made sense. Bravo, sir.


I wonder if they're blind down in whooville, as well.

 

[grapefruit]

Yes, because out of EVERYTHING, that you said in the aforementioned post, that is the ONE thing I didn't believe. Everything else was fine and made sense. Bravo, sir.


I wonder if they're blind down in whooville, as well.

Ok, I really can't tell if you are trying to be sarcastic, so would it trouble you to much to state exactly what you are trying to communicate. If it will, that's too bad because I will not be able to comprehend what you are trying to say. If you don't care whether I understand, why did you respond?

 

[Bird]

Grapefruit what is it you are looking for?


You ask people for their opinions and then attack them for giving them.
Why is this? Because they're not voicing what it is you wish to hear?


Perhaps you'd be happier discussing this elsewhere.


And here's a pro-tip for you:
Groups will stop being minority groups when they stop allowing themselves to be.

I hardly consider the blind or people with vision problems to be a minority.
I'm curious as to why you think this. If anything you're coming across very closed-minded
insisting that they are minorities.

 

[the]

I would appreciate your thoughts about how certain minorities should deal with bias.... cognitive characteristics. ... emotional strain ... increase their positive interactions, reduce the emotional strain that society creates, and depart from an inferior social status without invoking hostility or discomfort?

Are these "minority groups" INFJS by any chance? Are you trying to claim a minority status and get special treatment for this underrepresented demographic?

 

[Korg]

[MENTION=4438]grapefruit[/MENTION]

Can you please state your hypothesis (or question or whatever you're looking for) in a few concise sentences? I'm not clear what you're after here.

Is it about bias? And if so, what kind of bias specifically? Because that term is extremely broad.
Is it about blind people?
Is it about minority groups gaining acceptance?
Is it about majority groups not oppressing minorities?

I dunno. You touch on all of these but don't really address any in particular.

 

[hush]

However, she isn't a disabled person to me, she is a person who happens to have a disability.

Yes. There is an important distinction between the two descriptors, with the latter acknowledging that it is just one aspect of the person, not what defines her.

 

[Saru Inc]

Ok, I really can't tell if you are trying to be sarcastic, so would it trouble you to much to state exactly what you are trying to communicate. If it will, that's too bad because I will not be able to comprehend what you are trying to say. If you don't care whether I understand, why did you respond?

Well all I'm saying is there's nothing more that I enjoy besides kicking an autistic kid in a wheelchair down a flight of stairs, except for when I sneak up to a chalkboard and erase important parts of a formulas that a blind chemist is working on, you know, since after all if your eyes don't work YOU DON'T DESERVE TO EXIST.



its that. It's you acting like everyone is against the handicapped. And in the originally quoted post you start attacking her, saying "well you wouldn't believe the amt of blind people doing this and that". Der. We got a shit ton of a blind people, some of them are bound to be intelligent. Don't assume you know mine, or anyone else's view in the world, and I won't force you to eat green eggs in ham.


Not In a post,
not In a a forum,
not even a cyber cafe
i won't make u eat green eggs and ham,
grapefruit I am

 

[grapefruit]

Well all I'm saying is there's nothing more that I enjoy besides kicking an autistic kid in a wheelchair down a flight of stairs, except for when I sneak up to a chalkboard and erase important parts of a formulas that a blind chemist is working on, you know, since after all if your eyes don't work YOU DON'T DESERVE TO EXIST.



its that. It's you acting like everyone is against the handicapped. And in the originally quoted post you start attacking her, saying "well you wouldn't believe the amt of blind people doing this and that". Der. We got a shit ton of a blind people, some of them are bound to be intelligent. Don't assume you know mine, or anyone else's view in the world, and I won't force you to eat green eggs in ham.


Not In a post,
not In a a forum,
not even a cyber cafe
i won't make u eat green eggs and ham,
grapefruit I am

Thank you. Now I understand.

 

[grapefruit]

Grapefruit what is it you are looking for?


You ask people for their opinions and then attack them for giving them.
Why is this? Because they're not voicing what it is you wish to hear?


Perhaps you'd be happier discussing this elsewhere.


And here's a pro-tip for you:
Groups will stop being minority groups when they stop allowing themselves to be.

I hardly consider the blind or people with vision problems to be a minority.
I'm curious as to why you think this. If anything you're coming across very closed-minded
insisting that they are minorities.

I was talking about a literal minority. If you take a population count, you can understand this. Perhaps where you live, there are lots of people who are visually impaired, but where I live, visually impaired people only make up about 3% of the population, and if you combine populations that get to have their ability judged because of a physical or cognitive attribute, you get around 11%. Yes it is still a large group, but not compared to the population as a whole. You say that people don't have to be a minority group if they don't want to, but advanced genetic engineering isn't yet available, so some minority groups cannot control their numbers. Further, I am not trying to attack anyone for their opinion, it is just that in some cases, sarcasm was used that prevented me from understanding what was being said. That form of communication doesn't always work when you are writing. From what I understand, several have written that they do not believe that minority populations (numbers only) are met with bias or treated by the majority (again referring to numbers) as if they were socially inferior. I would have no reason to attack an assertion that countered mine because it could be an indication that the experience I have had in this area is not applicable. If this were the case, I could be content, knowing that due to chance, I met and learned of people from minority populations who happened to have partially negative social experiences related to physical or cognitive attributes, and that this happens very rarely.

 

[Bird]

I was talking about a literal minority. If you take a population count, you can understand this. Perhaps where you live, there are lots of people who are visually impaired, but where I live, visually impaired people only make up about 3% of the population, and if you combine populations that get to have their ability judged because of a physical or cognitive attribute, you get around 11%. Yes it is still a large group, but not compared to the population as a whole. You say that people don't have to be a minority group if they don't want to, but advanced genetic engineering isn't yet available, so some minority groups cannot control their numbers. Further, I am not trying to attack anyone for their opinion, it is just that in some cases, sarcasm was used that prevented me from understanding what was being said. That form of communication doesn't always work when you are writing. From what I understand, several have written that they do not believe that minority populations (numbers only) are met with bias or treated by the majority (again referring to numbers) as if they were socially inferior. I would have no reason to attack an assertion that countered mine because it could be an indication that the experience I have had in this area is not applicable. If this were the case, I could be content, knowing that due to chance, I met and learned of people from minority populations who happened to have partially negative social experiences related to physical or cognitive attributes, and that this happens very rarely.

Perhaps you should get away from your numbers and actually pay attention
to people.

 

[grapefruit]

Perhaps you should get away from your numbers and actually pay attention
to people.

I don't know why, but it seems like I am the sort of person who everyone tells their most intimate secrets when we have just met, but I don't know why. I have interacted the most with visually impaired individuals many of them school aged, and I have to sit and listen as they tell me about how students put hands near their faces, asking how many fingers they are holding up, knowing that these people don't have enough vision to tell. Further, many of them reported that students would try to make them sit in a place that had no chair, take away their white canes, socially ostracise them, that teachers would put them in special education environments that insulted their intelligence, that people would exclude them from extra curricular activities or treat them like charity cases, and that religious institutions would proclaim them to be lacking in faith. wheelchair users would tell me of exclusion, patronisation, and denial of access to certain places including religious institutions. I don't know if the others left it out or what happened, but people with specific cognitive attributes told me of decreased educational opportunities, a sense of always feeling abnormal and un-belonging, and physical bullying. These people were not acquainted with each other in any way as far as I know, and they all came from different places, but I have never actually had a face to face conversation with anyone who came from outside the country where I live. The country where I live is pretty large though, and the people who spoke to me came from all over it. I would always tell them that things would get better, that they would find a new environment where they would find success and acceptance, and tried to provide examples of successful people who shared the physical or cognitive attribute that they found was making it difficult for them to fully integrate, but this didn't seem to help. I didn't know what else to say because it was very hard for me to be the calm attentive person they needed me to be during these stories, and in most cases, I didn't live near them and I couldn't stay there and sort it out. My experience has led me to believe that society, all be it unconsciously sometimes, can make it very emotionally straining to belong to one of these groups, but apart from withdrawal and sometimes explanation if it is appropriate, I don't know what they should do to reduce that strain before they become frustrated, resentful, and lacking in confidence and self-esteem. This is extremely important because you can get harmful and aggressive behavior if you combine the sequence of events with a communication style that differs from the majority. I posted this to see if anyone knew of strategies these populations could use to reduce emotional strain.