Labels.... they’re everywhere, on everything. They are used to give us information about the object they reside upon. We rely on that information to educate ourselves as to the value of the product for ourselves. Why is it human nature to want to apply labels to one another? Is it that we're trying to identify those who we find compatible with our existence and eliminate those who aren't? Do they help us to place these individuals in a mold of sorts so that they are easily identifiable to us?
Everyone is given a name at birth, which identifies him or her. Within family and friend, business and social acquaintances, we learn those names and use them. We do sometimes apply a label of our own to them, which separates them in favor, disdain, or some personal value system, but they remain part of our inner circle.
These labels would be termed nicknames.
For those we don't know, our observations determine how we categorize them. When we speak of them to another, since we don't know their names, we refer to them based on the observation. The observations however are often tinged with personal opinion, feeling, or prejudice formed from life experience. In other words, if you met me and didn't know my name, when trying to describe me to someone else the words you'd choose would determine what image of me the other person formed in his mind. That is all well and good if you use enough characteristics to form a valid image. The problem comes in when people choose to describe using limited words. However, when it comes down to it, it is wrong. I've take away that person's individuality and allowed him to become just another nonentity. Every person living on this planet is an individual and to take away that individuality shows nothing more than a lack of respect for that person and for myself.
In seeing someone as being lumped into a category we don't really see that person at all. When we fail to see the individual, it encourages misconceptions and furthers prejudice. We allow our opinions to remain biased and shortsighted. As well but they're usually born of the person's own actions. If I call someone an idiot, it's usually because they've done something idiotic. That is a just observation based on their actions.
Still again it's an idiotic action based on my own perceptions and opinions of what is correct behavior.
So, labels based on personal knowledge of the individual....are they any better than those applied so callously to those we don't know?
NO BETTER, NO WORSE .............
ReplyDeleteThe only labels I believe in are on cans of soup :)
ReplyDeleteYet I know what you mean Annette.
right I hate labels and they should only be on soups lol
ReplyDeleteit is very wrong to lable people and dterimental
Humans have a basic need when meeting or getting to know folk, to look for our commonalities: common friends, hobbies, places we have lived, relatives etc. The problem comes when that knowledge is inverted and becomes xenophobic.
ReplyDeleteWe could use labels as favorite friend or fantastic people or something good!
ReplyDeleteI agree ..... "labels" should be positive ............
ReplyDeleteIf we "sow" negativity .... we shall reap the same
Generalizations have been used for centuries to classify people as certain "types," but, as you say, they completely strip individuality and dehumanize people. They also are used to demonize and instill hatred against. They are more often used by the uneducated. Some of them truly don't know any better.
ReplyDeleteAnne a different perspecitive completely and most welcome. Mucho si!
ReplyDeleteIt must be the peacefulness of Guatemala that brings this to be!
No perfecto est perfecto...
What a great posting Jack... you gave me a smile and some food for thought. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
ReplyDeleteYour most welcome Eliz...I read yours last night and it's a collective soul in the manner that we share.
ReplyDeleteCal, this is an old write I did on my first blog and I actually had a can of Campbells Soup as the picture, now this is a picture from here of Gandhi - but within it all we do label people to some extent some more than others - after I found that I could get into what I call my old "vault". I found that my writings were actually something that entirely had a new perspective and with that all said - I never believed nor was raised to dehumanize or look at a person by color, creed, ethnicity. There is the old saying "different strokes for different folks" but I believe that in many cases we as a society at large will pass a quick judgement. In some countries that is more prevalent.
ReplyDeleteNo one given human being is supremely better nor ever will be over another. Hence - it does not matter where you come from nor where your born all that matters is where your head is at.
Hmmm, with the two medications I am on one which is predisone I am not sure if my head is on straight but I will have to look again :)
All kidding aside you are so correct as one life to live, we are the directors of our own motion picture called, "LIFE". Now where do we wish to take it and how do we intend on it to be, or are we going to live by way of others whom may label you or I, or anyone. It's done every day, yet within life we are our own directors.
With a morning coffee I bid you a good day!
Timid, shy that's what I was called through childhood. I think I'm basically quiet but NOT shy or timid..you get to believe something in time if you hear it enough. I guess those are labels.. I like my nickname though..from my Dad because I'll always be his Sparrow..nicknames can be sweet really they can. It's a sentimental,,personal term of endearment sometimes..
ReplyDeleteI'm still tired from yesterday so my thoughts might be a little discombobulated but I'm happily so :-)
Have a great weekend
The problem is that most labels are incorrect..you should hear some labels that have been used for me!
ReplyDeleteYou as well and I don't know you that well but you have the birth of two new endearing children - that is precious and to be happy within your step leaves example to those that surround you and those in which you groom. A great weekend to you and your family as well.
ReplyDeleteDanni cast them aside you have one life to live and your the maker of it. I don't know everything by any means but regardless of whom you are, you just are. I am not sure if that come across correctly but time is so often something that one comes to understand the meaning of right and wrong. There will be people that always will have a prejudice of some nature but
ReplyDeleteif we all were exactly the same this would be a very boring world.
Yes, Jack, labels are limiting and cannot in any way in totality represent what is within a can of soup, much less within a person. It is a mechanism for how we use language to communicate. We label things with words, terms, phrases to be able to use the mode of communication called language, when those words, terms, phrases can not in any way communicate one to another the totality of what makes up each of us. What we have to do is learn not to use language as our main means of communication... then we will not be tempted to affix labels that so limit not only ourselves, exposing the limits of our own perceptions and understanding to others, but also limiting those that we are in communication about. If we could just learn to communicate from the heart, without words.... the use of labels and their limitations they expose of ourselves and those we affix to others would simply fade away!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this and for bringing to our attention how limiting labels are. I also would like to share that last night I reached in the pantry for a can of soup, and on the label it said it was "homestyle vegetable" .. yet when I opened it, it had been labeled incorrectly, yet I enjoyed a nice bowl of chicken noodle none the less. Now if I had affixed myself to not accepting what was inside the can, or been determined to let the label dictate what I believed it to be... I'd have not enjoyed the chicken noodle at all, tossing it in the disposal for not being what the label said it should be, or I'd have eaten the chicken noodle soup, determined in mind because of what the label said, to have enjoyed "homestyle vegetable soup" ! :)
Smiling...
ReplyDelete