Facebook Ad

Insights

Recognizing Default Responses

Regarding any idea that we hear, we have an automatic default response.  There are certain words or triggers that we may hear that make our minds automatically react in a certain way.  This is not a positive nor a negative thing, but it is something that is very important to keep in mind.  Say, for instance, that you are having a conversation about the current presidential election.  Politics is one aspect of the world that people previously have and always will have a very strong default response.  Especially this election in particular.  We already have a default response to presidential elections based off of  factors such as party affiliation, past actions, gender, and as much as we hate to admit it, race.  When we hear people call Hillary a crook or Trump a racist, there are certain responses that we all automatically go to.  Lots of times we will go to these default responses not because of our deep knowledge of the subject, but because of past happenings that have shaped our thinking.  This is impossible to avoid, but it is something we must keep it in mind moving forward.

We usually have our mind made up before we even know it.  When an idea is introduced to us, there are certain key words that will trigger a certain response from each of us.  Each of our responses will be just a little bit different based off of what has happened to us.  I am personally pro-choice and this affects the way that I respond to a lot of different situations.  As I stated earlier, it decides where I side with the election.  It also shapes how I respond to anyone when they bring up the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate.  One thing I think that we all make these responses towards hundreds of times per day is clothing.  When people are wearing a shirt and tie, I automatically assume they have a very nice job, often times from 9-5.  In contrast, when I see people wearing a pair of Nike shorts, a t-shirt and tennis shoes, I automatically assume that they are an athletically inclined and that we would have lots in common.

These responses are actually somewhat cool when you step back to think about.  There are certain key words or actions that automatically make us react a certain way to almost everything.  It is somewhat mind-boggling that our decisions can often times be made by little experiences or beliefs that we have come to follow.  We have learned through previous experiences what we like and what we dislike and we have learned to automatically associate these likes and dislikes with certain keys which are very easy to pull out.  These shape the way that we think and the way that we view many aspects of our life.  We need to make an effort in our day-to-day lives to recognize when we have these default responses.  Once we are able to recognize this, we are able to open our mind to other ideas because we are not as close-minded as we were before.  We then know when there is something that we are reacting to based off of these responses and are able to step back and actually evaluate the situation and what other evidence is being presented to us rather than what we automatically think of the certain situation.

OTM-Race, Class, And The United States Of Anxiety

The on the media post that I listened to was titled "Race, Class, And The United States of Anxiety. "  The title of this podcast is what drew me to listen to this. The basis of this podcast was being white, male and in the working class and how this is effecting the 2016 presidential election. In the show, they talk about how these males are feeling emasculated by what is going on with economics and politics and how that is driving these people to be such strong supporters of trump. 

I can see how these feelings are coming about. People now-a-days have a lot less power than they once did because our society has recently been moving towards a more socialistic society. As our society becomes more socialistic, certain people suddenly have a lot less power than they previously did because of the power being spread out amongst the people. As the power of money is being spread out, this means that the physical power of the people is also being spread out. Money gives people power through status and also physically because people will do almost anything when they are in need of cash. 

Also, historically, the power has been with the white males in the upper and middle classes. As the power is slowly being taken away, there is a sudden fear being thrown upon them because of the sudden change. We as humans do not like change in the slightest no matter what it is about. This fact is especially true when we feel as if the power is being taken away from us. I believe this is why Trump supporters are so serious about getting him in office, is because his theories are an attempt to return the United States to how it used to be, which was with the power in the hands of the white male upper and middle class. 

While some of the things that Trump says may be very disturbing, many people can look past it because of the thought of the return to power. Power can drive people to do things which they normally wouldn't and I believe that this is a perfect example. As the economy is being promise to rise back to power through "making America great again" it gives people a thought of how America used to be and a lot of people would enjoy nothing more than a return to that power.