It’s easy to get hung up on labels.
Nowhere is this more true than in how we apply labels to our fellow human beings.
Whether these labels are of a political nature or simply an attempt to pigeonhole someone in order to marginalize them, they represent a kind of word magic.
People who believe in word magic will apply labels to others in the mistaken belief that marking a person with a particular word will magically transform them into what they’ve been called.
But that’s not how reality works.
Think back to the childhood labels we once thoughtlessly applied to anyone who was perceived as different.
Our labels may have given us a momentary sense of superiority or advantage but they didn’t come close to describing the true depth and value of those we were labeling.
That’s because labels are not a substitute for careful observation.
It’s one thing when lack of maturity leads us to label others. But what should we make of such behavior in adults?
It’s a lot easier to label someone a “right-winger” or a “bleeding heart liberal” than it is to actually consider his or her point of view.
By sticking our labels on another, in effect we’re saying, “you have nothing of value to offer.” But we cannot know this until we’ve actually heard what they have to offer.
Don’t give in to the temptation to marginalize others through labels. They may have something of value to teach us.
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