Label Maker
I think the need to categorize and label things is a fundamental human urge. Just look at the way we relate to the natural world. It's all about grouping like things and applying labels to them.



I suppose there's nothing wrong with this tendency. It does make it easier to keep track of things when they're at least somewhat ordered. Still, like most human tendencies, we sometimes take it to the extreme. This is especially true when we label people.

I could write many essays on prejudice and stereotyping of others. But what I'm really thinking of here are the problems that come from labeling ourselves. You probably already have a huge list of labels that you apply to yourself on a regular basis. From physical descriptors (blond) to personality traits (shy) to philosophical memes (liberal). Not bad or even necessarily untrue... the type of person we are drives the labels we give ourselves.

The danger comes in doing the reverse and allowing our labels to dictate who we are.
For example, if you see yourself as liberal because of your views on civil rights, that's just fine (it certainly makes political discussions easier when you know how to easily describe what you believe). However, when you take a stand on an issue based purely on being liberal, and not how you really feel, then you are allowing the label to create the life.

I've seen this over and over, in my own life and others. You think of yourself as intelligent and sophisticated, so you avoid pop culture. And whether or not you enjoy the Simpsons or Stephen King is irrelevant. You see yourself as a hippie, so no "selling out" or enjoying material goods... despite the fact that without your computer, you'd die a quick death of boredom.

In our society, people have this problem with their physical appearance as well. They base their life labels not on how they feel, but on how other's perceive them. They allow the labels to create their life. Sure, if you're blond you're blond... unless you dye your hair I suppose. But the value judgments that people place on certain physical traits cause a lot of harm.

I do this too. I admit it. Because it's a very easy thing to do. Starting in grade school, we begin categorizing our classmates according to some semi-arbitrary labeling system. By the time we're in high school, the segregation is in full swing. In my high school there were metal heads, preps, shit kickers, geeks, nerds, jocks, and so forth.

It's bad enough getting labeled by others (geek!) but even worse when you do it to yourself. You aren't really living your life when you use the excuse "well, I'm a (whatever) so I don't do that sort of thing" to keep from doing what you want.

Of course, we all play roles. Gainful employment often requires good acting abilities and the right costume. But when we allow the role to decide who we really are, we lose ourselves and we lose out.