W.I.N. Wednesday: Be careful about “All are” statements.
It is easy to use the words all and are in a four-word sentence and in that statement label and even condemn an entire group of people. These statements are often based on profession, race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation or financial status. Below are examples of how “All are” statements start. Pay attention to the first word that pops into your head to finish the statement.
All cops are __________.
All lawyers are __________.
All journalists are __________.
All politicians are __________.
All Muslims are __________.
All Jews are __________.
All Christians are __________.
All Sikhs are __________.
All blacks are __________.
All whites are __________.
All Latinos are __________.
All Asians are __________.
All rich people are __________.
All poor people are __________.
All Americans are __________.
All Canadians are __________.
All immigrants are __________.
All men are __________.
All women are __________.
All Millennials are __________.
The list is far from comprehensive, but you get the point.
In every one of those groups, every profession, every race and every religion there are racists, psychopaths, criminals, and haters. They are often a very small minority of those groups, but they tend to get the most media coverage and exposure.
The one word that would be appropriate at the end of every one of those statements is “human”. All __________ are human.
Perhaps the only “All are” statement that might be accurate is “All humans are imperfect.” We all have flaws, faults and imperfections. We have implicit biases, which are a result of a multitude of factors, experiences and influences. (Biases are preferences and not all ‘good’ or ‘bad’.) We will all say stupid things, make countless mistakes, and make poor decisions in our lives. There will be many times where we let our emotions highjack our rational, logical brain. Some of those actions will have massive consequences; most of them will have minor consequences.
“All are” statements are often born from deep-seated emotion, influenced by our biases, are often divisive and too often result in push back in the form of “No, you all are” statements. This is a downward spiral of labeling and blaming resulting is greater divides between groups.
What’s Important Now? Be cautious of “All are” statements. Focus on the specific issue, behavior, action(s), and the decisions of the specific person without making global, inaccurate statements about everyone in the groups they may be part of.
Take care.
Brian Willis
www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com
Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?
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