Asynonametrics
Rooting out prejudice
For years I searched for a particular word;
a word that describes the human tendency
I remember decades ago, when another driver did something I didn’t like,
and I wanted to think poorly of them,
I found myself looking for a reason for the flaw that caused the bad driving.
One day I realized I was searching for something about the driver
that was so unlike me, that I couldn’t share that flaw.
Sometimes it was color or age, sometimes their sex, or a different State license plate.
For some reason, I wanted or needed to separate myself from this behavior -
perhaps so I could criticize the person without feeling like a hypocrite.
If we hear of someone eating pickles and ice cream together, we usually think,
Justifiable-Asynonametrics and unjustifiable-prejudices can grow and twine together
to assign flawed behaviors to people different from ourselves.
I remember decades ago, when another driver did something I didn’t like,
and I wanted to think poorly of them,
I found myself looking for a reason for the flaw that caused the bad driving.
One day I realized I was searching for something about the driver
that was so unlike me, that I couldn’t share that flaw.
Sometimes it was color or age, sometimes their sex, or a different State license plate.
For some reason, I wanted or needed to separate myself from this behavior -
perhaps so I could criticize the person without feeling like a hypocrite.
If we hear of someone eating pickles and ice cream together, we usually think,
‘Pregnant Woman’, which allows us to categorize this mildly deviant behavior,
and draw a discreet line between us and her.
The term finally came to me in June, 2020:
‘Asynonametrics’:
‘A’ = not
‘synonymous’ = like the other
‘metrics’ = when measured
Asynonametrics: Attributing the deviant behavior of others to those
The term finally came to me in June, 2020:
‘Asynonametrics’:
‘A’ = not
‘synonymous’ = like the other
‘metrics’ = when measured
Asynonametrics: Attributing the deviant behavior of others to those
outside of our own people-group.
The unfortunate cascading effect of this process is:
The unfortunate cascading effect of this process is:
We will then project expectations of those behaviors onto everyone-else in that people-group. This is the source of a lot of ‘ism’s'
Our two types of sexual hormones and our differing personal and cultural histories
give us the opportunity to misuse our free wills ... in ways different from other people-groups.
So, when we see flaws or misfortunes in others, we look for the reason.
A medical example: When we see someone using crutches, we wonder why. So:
Our two types of sexual hormones and our differing personal and cultural histories
give us the opportunity to misuse our free wills ... in ways different from other people-groups.
So, when we see flaws or misfortunes in others, we look for the reason.
A medical example: When we see someone using crutches, we wonder why. So:
1) If the person is elderly, we might suspect a fall in the shower or down the stairs.
2) if it's a scruffy young man who also has black eye, we might think he lost a fistfight.
3) if it's a well-groomed young man, we might suspect a sports injury.
4) if a dwarf is using crutches, we assume a genetic issue.
Why do we look for differences and try to identify the reasons?
2) if it's a scruffy young man who also has black eye, we might think he lost a fistfight.
3) if it's a well-groomed young man, we might suspect a sports injury.
4) if a dwarf is using crutches, we assume a genetic issue.
Why do we look for differences and try to identify the reasons?
Instinctual self-protection, I suspect.
Some instincts are immediate and apparent in newborn babies, like the fear of falling.
Some instincts we mature into, but are instincts, nonetheless.
And we also have moral instincts; to guard ourselves from blame,
though how we do that is sometimes very immoral.
And Asynonametrics, though a natural instinct, can be perverted.
We can learn inappropriate prejudices, declaring certain people-groups inferior or dangerous.
Some instincts are immediate and apparent in newborn babies, like the fear of falling.
Some instincts we mature into, but are instincts, nonetheless.
And we also have moral instincts; to guard ourselves from blame,
though how we do that is sometimes very immoral.
And Asynonametrics, though a natural instinct, can be perverted.
We can learn inappropriate prejudices, declaring certain people-groups inferior or dangerous.
Justifiable-Asynonametrics and unjustifiable-prejudices can grow and twine together
like trees in fence row, difficult to separate.
And sometimes we build fences around our prejudices.
What if no obvious physical distinction is to blame another's bad behavior?
Well, older white men tend to blame another white man's mother for his flaws.
Pardon my language, but the term 'son-of-a-bitch' is probably Asynonametrics in action.
I’m going to leave this here.
You decide how Asynonametrics affects the way you look at other people-groups.
What if no obvious physical distinction is to blame another's bad behavior?
Well, older white men tend to blame another white man's mother for his flaws.
Pardon my language, but the term 'son-of-a-bitch' is probably Asynonametrics in action.
The other white man's mother takes the blame.
I’m going to leave this here.
You decide how Asynonametrics affects the way you look at other people-groups.
