Bias is inescapable. In our day-to-day lives we absorb the culture of our community and we are swayed by forces such as the media, parents, and teachers. It is part of what makes us an individual person. In the case of Skloot, she was influenced by her teacher in high school that first caused her to think about cells and their origins. As Rebecca came into contact with the Lacks family, their actions and emotional stories influenced her thinking. The Lacks put other pressures on Rebecca as well, in the form of censorship. These pressures and influences, coupled with the normalcy and accepted practices of that time period, show that the book was sensationalized and weighted far too heavily in favor of the Lacks family. If your best friend
