We are all prejudiced in the sense that the very act of learning trains our neural networks to rapidy pattern-match based on experience; using this common brain machinery, we all naturally pre-judge. Every new experience slightly alters the brain's connections, "deepening the grooves" of those concepts that are re-assured by new information, and transforming neural connections involving conceptions we find to be errant in some way. In this manner, we use our ever-changing neural programming to make rapid judgements at first glance, sometimes leading to serious and important problems. Consider someone who pets the same black cat every day. The cat is lovely – always purring affectionately as it rubs itself on the person's leg – and this person quickly develops a bond with the cat. Everyone has heard the superstitious belief that black cats are bad luck, but this person's experience is quite the opposite. One day, our friend encounters another black cat. Hav
What is Hard Work ? We should first tackle what it means to work. We might consider work to be anything that is in some way productive . Productivity is basically every step in the process of reaching some goal, as long as that goal requires some amount of effort. In order to maintain a reasonable definition for work, we have to include a minimum level of effort as a means of precluding trivially simple tasks. This, of course, creates the problem of having to decide what the theoretical minimum work effort ought to be, but I don't think we can directly measure effort anyway, so we will keep it vague. As humans, our entire psychology is based on an inherent hierarchy of values that guides our behaviour. As an example, when you are hungry, the prime concern becomes finding food and making yourself something to eat. Since this process involves obtaining and preparing food, the process of meal preparation can be considered a productive endeavour. (Perhaps in the age of microwave