A pledge bias awareness

If you agree with the statement above about our own natural biases, would you be willing to "sign" a pledge of intention about them?

The pledge would be as follows: I will try to be more aware of my own biases, and to try to keep them from influencing my interactions with others.

For the sake of my own research, as well as facilitating discussion about racism and the like in our communities, I would very much appreciate your comments. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Would you take the pledge? Or what other feedback do you have?

Thank you in advance for any comments!

A Story of Unintentional Bias

When I first began as a professor at one particular college, there were five or six other new professors beginning at that time as well. It was natural for us to form friendships with each other. The one or two that I was most drawn to were similar to me in certain ways. Since then, though, I've recalled that there was one particular professor whose personality I really enjoyed, but who I never invited over to my house for dinner, and with whom I never became especially close. This person is unlike me in one way that I think subconsciously made me feel as if we wouldn't be a good "match" as friends. I bet this person provokes that feeling in others, too, and I bet she/he doesn't get as many offers for friendship from people like me because of it.

That person may not want to be friends with me, of course. Further, we may not be a good "fit" because that superficial difference may actually make us feel less than fully comfortable with each other.

But, I do think it's better for me to be aware of my impulse not to be friends with people like that, rather than to think that I treat them the same as I would anyone else. If I'm more aware of my biases, wouldn't I be more likely to treat people more equally to others when I really need to, or want to?

Hmmmm. That last phrase has me thinking...

Any thoughts out there on that? Any similar stories? For the sake of my research, I'd appreciate any comments people might have.