Explain Nation: The Origins of Bias
Bias was and still is meant for the survival of our genes. In the beginning, our ancestor animals knew there were a million ways to die. When looking for food or just enjoying the sunshine, they looked like meals to a tiger. Later on in evolution, tribes often competed for food and killed each other. So, people learned to trust only those from their own family and village. Most mammals lived with “family” and in herds. People lived with family and tribes in villages. When with trusted ones, the brain produced oxytocin, the brain chemical that made them feel good and relaxed. When animals and people strayed away from their circle of trust, oxytocin dropped and the hormone cortisol would rise to give them a bad feeling. They would then be compelled to go back to the herd or family for that nice oxytocin fix again. That’s how the survival mechanism worked. We have inherited the instinct. Up to now, we have a predictive brain. It makes us feel uncomfortable when with people or in a situati