Unlearning and Unbiased

Lesson 29

When studying the Tao Te Ching, people may be shocked to find that it suggests emptying can be more important than filling. Specifically, unlearning can be more important than learning. This is so contradictory to how most of us were acculturated — being taught that we should always be learning as much as possible.

Balance is the key. I am not saying to stop learning, but I am definitely suggesting that you start unlearning if you haven’t already. Listen, you are not ChatGPT. Your mind can’t hold all the information in the entire world! There is limited space. With that being the case, we need to be actively getting rid of outdated information and programs to make room for the new.

It is actually very similar to a laptop. There is not infinite space. You sometimes need to delete old and outdated programs to make room for new and better programs. What about software updates? That is a beautiful metaphor too. It is akin to upgrading your mindset.

You can give yourself a major software update by looking into the cognitive biases. There are over 100 officially recognized cognitive biases, and this is one of the most powerful exercises you can ever do. Cognitive biases are defined as systematic patterns of deviation from rationality where individuals create their own “subjective reality” from their perception. It is important to note that subjective reality is what a person perceives, where objective reality is true reality. They are almost always different, largely due to the cognitive biases. These maladaptive mental patterns are like funhouse glasses that we all have on — distorting reality and preventing us from truly seeing the situation clearly.

In yoga, this concept is known as coloring. Our minds start as pure crystals that reflect the truth, however throughout life our minds get colored, or tainted, by stress and trauma. If these issues are not resolved (which they often aren’t), we see reality through a colored, or distorted, filter. Let’s go through some specific examples of cognitive biases.

Confirmation Bias is a common cognitive bias. It is when people unconsciously or subconsciously look for things that confirm preexisting beliefs. For example, if someone thinks that everyone except themselves is a bad driver, it is like they will see a reality that confirms that, even if it is not the truth.

The Above-Average Effect is another common cognitive bias. When surveyed, most people report that they are above average in a certain skill or quality. This results in something like 90% of people thinking they are above average in a task, like driving, when the true number should be 50%.

Sunk Cost Fallacy is another example. This stems from the belief that one needs to ‘make good’ on a past investment of time or money, even if continuing the investment is resulting in negative outcomes. For example, this could be someone sticking with a diet or exercise plan that is simply not working or even harming them, but they don’t want to admit they were wrong. They have already invested so much in this. It would be painful and embarrassing to pull out now. That is nonsense, and it could be resolved by simply admitting you were wrong and moving on.

One more common example is the Bandwagon Effect. In essence, this is about social proof. It is easier for a person to do something if they see someone else doing it, even more so if a lot of other people are doing it. I want to share the most frustrating example of this for me personally, because my first book was about applying yoga principles to the road. Whenever I go into Boston, I see this all the time. I’m walking with my Mom, and we get to an intersection. There is a “do not walk” signal. No cars seem to be coming at the moment, so one person goes. Another goes. Then, a group of people walk out as a car makes a right turn, nearly hitting them. The “do not walk” sign was still there — bright red. However, there was social proof, and people hopped on the bandwagon. Just because other people are doing something doesn’t mean it is smart or even safe.

The worst part of the cognitive biases is known as the Lollapalooza Effect. It is the concept that when multiple cognitive biases come together, they exponentially distort reality. This is really concerning because most people have many cognitive biases working against them at once — the Lollapalooza Effect in full force. I am not exempt from this by the way. I need to work every day on making sure I am actively recognizing and deleting cognitive biases within myself.

The more you practice unlearning, the closer you get to the crystal mind in yoga. You see more clearly, and there is more room for innovation.