Prejudice and the topic of Auto-Pilot

Oompa Loompa said:

My point is that traumatic events, even a one time isolated events, can have long term effects. Again, it becomes neurologically hard wired in the amygdala.

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Oompa Loompa said:

Speaking as a fellow Black man, I understand where you are at. But I believe the answer is both. Your response is completely normal because it a defense mechanism that is hardwired in your brain through the Amygdala. It is hard wired to protect you from threats and makes you react before your brain has a chance to think. It is what gives you the "Fight-Flight-Freeze" response. Due to past traumas and experiences, you have learned to fear or feel threatened by people that have caused you those past traumas. It is like a child playing with a bee, and after the child is stung, it develops a lifelong flying insect phobia.

In your situation, you are the child who was stung and now are afraid of any insect with wings. But not all flying insects are bees (although there are other flying insects that are just as dangerous), a butterfly has wings but are harmless.

Once a traumatic response is hardwired in the amygdala, it is hard to remove it. It will take time.

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Jo555 said:

Yes. And this doesn't necessarily make one prejudice, yes?

And don't know if you are a believer or not, but I find when it is God doing the work, it's fast and instant. He doesn't waste time, yet He also let's us walk it out for there are things that we can gain from that route that can equip us differently. It's like how Jesus became our high priest and understands our weaknesses due to the things He suffered.

I believe it is also a more humbling process.

I joke how I can think twice now what I ask God to understand about another, like why are they like that?

He can often put me through it rather than just showing me. I believe it makes us more humble and understanding on another level.

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Oompa Loompa said:

Yes. It is both. Because you can be reconditioned to fear things that are harmless like a butterfly, even though you were never harmed by one, because your were taught to do so. Likewise, people may have never experienced a trauma by an individual group, but if you were taught at a young age to do so, in time, it becomes burned into anymegela. This works both ways between white and black folks.

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