#410. Ways to End Bias That Will Also Make You Happier | Jessica Nordell

Jessica Nordell is a science and culture journalist who has written for the Atlantic and the New York Times. She earned a B.A. in physics from Harvard and an M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her new book is called The End of Bias, A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias.

This episode explores: why humans evolved to have biases; what happens physiologically when biases are challenged; why some of the most popular personal and institutional strategies for confronting biases do not work; the role mindfulness and loving kindness meditation can play in reducing bias; and the power of studying history.

This episode is part one of a weeklong series the TPH podcast is doing about bias. Part two features Bob Wright, author of Why Buddhism is True, who has done some interesting work to challenge his own tribal instincts.

Where to find Jessica Nordell online: 

Jessica’s Website  

Twitter 

Book Mentioned:

The End of Bias, A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias

Other Resources Mentioned:

• Travis Dixon
• Wendy Berry Mendes
• How Slack Got Ahead in Diversity - The Atlantic 
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism, Robin DiAngelo 
• Resmaa Menakem 
• James Baldwin
• Charles W. Mills
• Lama Rod Owens 
• #253 An Uncomfortable (But Meaningful) Conversation About Race | Lama Rod Owens — Ten Percent Happier
• Patricia Devine, The Prejudice Habit Breaking Intervention  
• Is This How Discrimination Ends? A New Approach to Implicit Bias - The Atlantic 
• Yoona Kang, Ph.D.
• The IAT (Implicit Association Test) 
• The nondiscriminating heart: lovingkindness meditation training decreases implicit intergroup bias
• Gordon W. Allport, Contact Hypothesis
• Buffalo Soldier (1983) - Bob Marley & The Wailers  
• The Marley hypothesis: denial of racism reflects ignorance of history
• Sebene Selassie, Whose Thoughts Are You Thinking?
• J. Krishnamurti 
• Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity
• Cultural Diversity at Work: The Effects of Diversity Perspectives on Work Group Processes and Outcomes - Robin J. Ely, David A. Thomas, 2001  
• What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team - The New York Times