Respect and Implicit Bias ~ My Early Lessons
My father taught me my first lesson in respect. He shared how, as a youth walking the streets of Panama City, Panama, he came upon a down and out looking older man sitting on the sidewalk.
As he attempted to walk past him like he was invisible, the man scolded him for not saying, “Good Morning.” I learned that regardless of a person’s status, they are deserving of acknowledgment. After all, respect is only human.
Respect is one of the themes addressed in the author’s Israelin Shockness book Respect is Only Human A Response to Disrespect and Implicit Bias. Israelin states respect is what makes us human. It’s this value that separates humans from animals.
Fast forward decades later, I’m working in Silicon Valley and was asked to represent my company at a local job fair. Myself and another co-worker were tabbed to work the afternoon shift. I arrived for my shift, dressed professionally in a two-piece business suit.
My white co-worker came in an untucked flannel shirt and blue jeans. We took our place at our company’s table and began speaking with candidates. In a short time, I noticed the line in front of my co-worker was nearly four times as long as the path in front of me and stayed that way almost our entire shift.
Additionally, the majority of people in our lines were of either Asian or Indian descent. I was struck with how, despite my appearance, people perceived my white co-worker was the person to speak with regarding job opportunities.
Although my observation was disturbing, I didn’t know it had a name – implicit bias until after reading Respect is Only Human. Implicit bias describes the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions unconsciously.
The Book
The book addresses two subjects, respect, and implicit bias, in a way desperately needed for our current racial atmosphere. The author’s coverage of these subjects is comprehensive but straightforwardly and understandably.
The book is a fast read at 162 pages long with an additional 28 pages of extensive references for readers desiring a deeper dive into the topics.
Here is just a small sample covered in the book:
- Respect for Self and Others
- Respect for Our Parents and Elders
- Earning the Respect of Others
- Respect for Loyalty, Other People’s Intelligence and Fair Play and Honesty
- Implicit Bias and the Very Basis of Showing Respect for Others
- Confronting Implicit Race Bias, Gender Bias, and Sexual Orientation Bias
- Respect for all Cultures and their Knowledge
Also included are topics I wasn’t expecting like
- Respect for Our Bodies – the Challenge of Drugs
- Respect for Our Mental Health
- Showing Respect for Something Greater than We Are
- Respect for God and Different Faiths
- What has Respect to do with COVID-19?
Isrealin doesn’t just drop the problem in our lap and leave it up to the reader to solve it. She provides readers with strategies and methods from recognized experts for positively confronting issues regarding respect and implicit bias.
At the of selected chapters, she challenges the reader with questions perfect for a serious introspection as well as conversation with young people. Some of the questions are:
- Do you stick to your principles even if people disagree with them?
- When you make a mistake, do you admit to it?
- Do you think that you’re better than other people because of who you are?
Who’s It For
This book is part of the author’s Successful Youth Living series. In particular, this book is dedicated to young people aspiring to make respect an important part of their lives.
I found this book to be a great resource for a parent, friend, or older adult desiring to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. At the end of selected chapters, the author provides the readers with questions appropriate for introspection and mentoring/coaching relationships.
While the book is targeted towards youth, I found it’s a comprehensive yet easy to understand the content is excellent for anyone desiring to increase their knowledge of respect and implicit bias.
The Author
Israelin Shockness, Ph.D., is an educator with over 25 years of experience teaching children to university students. She also has over 15 years of experience as a columnist for a weekly publication.
In these roles, she was able to speak with many young people, parents as well as various community members. Israelin served as a volunteer for several non-profit organizations dealing with children, youth, parents, and the marginalized. Her education and experience have equipped her to write this book.
My Recommendation
It doesn’t seem like enough for me to say I heartily endorse you get this book. This isn’t a book you just read and put it back in your library.
In our present culture, this book demands you take action either through serious introspection or to discuss the book with the young people within your sphere of influence.
If you have a desire to make a difference in putting an end to racism and implicit bias, then this book needs to be one of the tools in your kit.
