By Dr. Shungu H. M’gadzah
Yesterday, I watched Seven Seconds — and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
It’s not just a story about tragedy or justice. It’s a mirror.
A mirror reflecting how ordinary people — those who appear kind, remorseful, even “nice” — can still act in ways that devalue Black lives.
Through the lens of the Six Stages Framework, we begin to see what lies beneath the surface.
We move past appearances, and begin to understand the thinking and beliefs that drive human behaviour — beliefs that can mask prejudice, justify inaction, and sustain systemic injustice.
In Seven Seconds, we meet characters like Peter Jablonski — a police officer who, in a moment of panic, hits a young Black boy named Brenton. His initial remorse draws our sympathy. But later, we learn he climbed the hill, saw Brenton struggling for life… and walked away.
The Six Stages Framework helps us make sense of these contradictions — showing how people can appear to care, yet operate from deeply harmful belief systems.
This article isn’t just about a TV show.
It’s about us.
It’s about what we choose to see… and what we choose to ignore.
How the Six Stages Framework reveals hidden bias beneath “niceness.”
Why masking and moral dissonance are so dangerous.
What this story teaches us about racism, empathy, and humanity.
#SixStagesFramework #SevenSeconds #AntiRacism #EquityAndInclusion #HumanBehaviour #PsychologyOfRacism #SocialJustice #BuildingBridgesOfEmpathy #LeadershipDevelopment #DrShunguM’gadzah