This is an interesting thread as I'm seeing a false dichotomy form. Either these phenomena are flaws and should be abandoned or they are often helpful and there

This is an interesting thread as I'm seeing a false dichotomy form. Either these phenomena are flaws and should be abandoned or they are often helpful and therefore should be adhered to. But I think there is a middle ground or maybe it is not in the middle but off to the side somewhere. We can be aware of these biases and try to be conscious of when we are relying in part or entirely on them and still choose to abide by them especially in the absence of better information. Understanding that one is behaving out of conformity or conservatism or another bias doesn't consign one to intermable mental litigation. You can be aware of this fact and still know you do not and may never have sufficient information to challenge and overturn the bias. However, when we suspect we are acting solely out of one of these biases and we see a compelling reason to challenge it, that awareness becomes the tool that allows us to change. A compelling examples is the acceptance of homosexuality in Europe and the U.S. The conformist beliefs that were leading to the supression of individuals were doing harm. As more people "came out" the conformist foundation of the supression arguments weakened. For most I think it has become clear that the risk of overruling conformity was insufficient in the face of the material harm homosexual individuals were enduring.