FlamingoDiversity2The birds in the photo are a lot like us: same species, both have feathers, wings. Different color, though, different sizes, different customs, values, and cultural norms, too, just like people. I wonder if the duck and the flamingo are peacefully co-existing, or does each wish the other one would go back to his/her own neighborhood? Are they suspicious of one another, as the way they are looking at one another might suggest? Are they ok with sending their offspring to the same school?

The flamingo in the foreground and the duck in the background appear to be trying to ignore the suspicions of the other two, as if to say, “Just ignore it and pay attention to your own life instead of getting your feathers ruffled just because he’s not like you. I mean, it’s progress… right?”

One thing we know about how the human brain works is that the unconscious brain deals with a vast amount of information every second and is designed to make instant assessments. It categorizes everything and everybody, and feeds us – without our even realizing that it’s happening – information and judgments about people who seem to be different from ourselves. It’s our job as humans to understand that. Maybe it works that way with birds, too.