labels

[Hellcat]

This thread has kinda evolved from badges. Everywhere society is stamping labels on people. The questions I ask is 1) Why? What are your theories? and 2) There are a billion and one other things about an individual which is used as criteria by which to label them. What labels have you had attached to you based on the things you do and the things you wear? Here's a few of mine

1) I smoke hand roll tobaccoo, obviously that makes me a drug addict and a lay about

2) I collect skulls- that makes me a devil worshipper

3) I mostly wear jeans and a t-shirt with a pair of boots- that makes me male, or a masculine lesbian, or a slob (actually, come to think of it, I am a slob)

4) I'm a lone parent- that makes my an idle lay about fishing for government hand outs

With the exception of slob, I don't match up with any of the labels that have been applied to me. I don't do drugs (except caffeine, nicotine and occassionally alcohol- in which case maybe I am an a drug addict of some discription :D ) I'm an athiest, I don't worship any god, fallen angel etc. I'm not a lesbian of any kind, I'm certainly not male- or I wasn't the last time I looked and I'm not an Idle lay-about, okay so I don't work, its not because I don't want to, its simply because my youngest child isn't in school yet and I can't afford childcare for her. In the meantime I'm busting my guts working on building up my education so I can blow the minds of any potential employer with my CV :D

[DarkWolf]

This shows more of a rant than a topic. Everybody has a label of some form.

The real question is: why care?

The only thing you need to about concerning a "label" of a kind, is mostly about comformity to a style of appearance. A respectable high class business is not going to even entertain somebody who shows up depressed, dressed as if they just came out of an all-night rave and with hair greasy enough to fry eggs on. Why? Because they just don't want that image representing their company. So, don a nice suit, wash your hair and keep a smile on your face. The prospective employer won't give a flying rat's arse what you wear when not working, or what your home looks like or whether you are a good person, addicted to anything or such as. As long as you seem positive, dressed to fit the business, seem trustworthy and determined: you'll stand a much greater chance of getting the job: even if your CV isn't as good as previous applicants.

Is it a label? No, but it works on the same exact level: how you show yourself and how others interpret you.

At home I've been called all the names, insults, worthless layabout, good for nothing, pointless existing, and should never have been born (by my father mostly). Back in college, I dressed smartly, applied myself, kept positive and stayed determined - I got excellent results, job offers, extra responsibilities towards the future of the college, respect. This isn't because I was smarter, it was simply because I worked their schemas and expectations.

You comform to their labels when it suits you, otherwise ignore them: they are not you - and for this simple fact they'll never know you well enough to have a valid label for you.

-- Moderation Note --

This is very much like the "badge" thread, so be VERY careful on how you word your responses, or they'll be deleted from this thread. This does have a tangent angle than "badges" - talk about the "why" and "what".

[Hellcat]

On the contrary DW, this isn't a rant. This is my wondering how people percieve other people based on X criteria, and why. Thats the point I'm getting at, why do people automatically assume your personality type based on what you wear and whatever your hobby is etc. A stamp collector or train spotter is immedietly percieved as a boring git, but who decided, or how did it come about that stamp collecting and trainspotting were a criteria for boring gits?

[DarkWolf]

I can answer that, truthfully, honestly, in a way nobody can deny as true and with only three words:

Collective, misinformed, opinion.

That was easy. :)

[blueeyes]

Labels are useful. Not when you use them, but when someone else does. The ones that are true allow someone to understand you better quickly, while false ones tell you about the person making the assumption. For example, I've walked into a classroom and acted like a student for a few minutes, because between my clothes and my stance, I look like anyone else.

Labels evolved from experience and assumptions; the former are accurate, the second less often are. They exist because they either simply things or make it easier for one group to react to others. Labels are self-enforced shortcuts, on both ends. I've had a few put at me. The loose clothes, dyed :: coughcough :: hair, all that stuff. People judge you on every part of your appearance.

[Teej]

The only people who deserve labels are the ones who use them. Now I know how hypocritical this is going to be, but let's face it. It's usually (and I'm sorry if anyone is any of these) wiggers and jocks. Not all jocks, but the ones who try to fight other people to make them feel stronger, or the kind that put down other people because their sport isn't "manly" enough.

But as for labeling myself, here we go.

I buy clothes from a thrift store: punk/poor
I've drank and smoked weed before: druggie
I'm in the smarter classes (even though I'm doing terribly): loser
I listen to what I want to, but hang out with mostly punks: poser.

I personally don't believe I am any of those. It's bullshit, that's what it is.

[shadowhound]

I think people have a need to identify, or put a label on, someone they meet. It is a way of matching this new person to people in their experience. Most people can't really accept something unless they at least slightly understand it, and you understand something using a frame of reference. For instance, it would be impossible to learn a new subject if you didn't know the words used when talking about it. So people match you up with something in their experience, and if they are narrow-minded :rolleyes: anybody with spiked hair is a punk, anybody wearing black is goth, and so on. This automatic labeling is a sort of survival instinct.
Hope that made sense :(

[WhiteCrowUK]

1) I smoke hand roll tobaccoo, obviously that makes me a drug addict and a lay about

2) I collect skulls- that makes me a devil worshipper

3) I mostly wear jeans and a t-shirt with a pair of boots- that makes me male, or a masculine lesbian, or a slob (actually, come to think of it, I am a slob)

4) I'm a lone parent- that makes my an idle lay about fishing for government hand outs


Right taking what you have said, my mind goes search search search, and builds a kind of "model" of who you are, basically by collecting together the people I've known who fit in with what you've said.

Actually your description reminds me of some of my friends from University who I used to hang around with (and loved dearly - ie I'm not putting you down).

I think its just natural to go "ooh she sounds a bit like Abbey". I will hazzard a guess you have a much beloved woolly jumper which is coming apart, but you wear all around the house. The jumper will either be grey or rainbow striped.

Anyway is that me applying a label, or is it me just profiling you? :D

Hey my label is "software engineer" - but I like to think I have too much personality for that! ;)

[Klark]

Well, I have spiked hair, I do wear black sometimes and I wear a collar, not to mention, I drive a cab. Just from that right there, judgements are made and filed away in certain catagories called labels. Some people can even label you by the words you use on this site. I'm guilty of it and I know that more than a few others are too. As for me, I like to hide, you have to get to know me before you find my proper labels because my physical representation of myself is a lot different than my intellectual one. But I know that's the point of the thread, so I guess here's some labels I've recieved.

Played several different sports - jock

Has a high IQ - geek

Wears a collar - freak

Has spiked hair - porcupine :D

[Wolffy13]

You know, I think when I use labels to try to figure out what a person might be like (although this doesn't really apply online for me, as anyone online can hide behind some sort of false personality fairly easily), I do it to see if I want to deal with them on either a temporary or constant basis. I, personally, have enough head cases for friends, that I really really really don't want any more. I love these friends dearly, but their little dramas (which aren't ever as big as they make it out to be) suck the life out of me like they were psychic vampires! I just simply can't handle any more of these people and I use their appearances, actions, the way they carry themselves, etc., as a way to avoid that. Otherwise, I generally try to be cordial with everyone.

Well, that's basically the reason I do it :shrug:

[Xzengrim]

Societal labels are not always right, but they ARE important. It is the nature of mankind to label, to divide, to classify, and to make groups. It is part of how he understands the world. He sorts information, classifies, applies logic. We need labels to live. We need labels to make society.

This does not, of course, mean that labels are right or that we have to ob3y them, but it does mean that they will always be a part of our world.

So here are some of mine:
1) I listen to death metal- I'm depressive and filled with homocidal rage. I like gore and violence and have no musical taste.
2) I'm interested in animation- my tastes in television and media are juvenile and undeveloped.
3) I'm a loner- I'm a depressive hermit who hates everyone and is not capable of interacting with people.
4) I like werewolves, and have pictures of them in my studio- I'm some kind of new age hippie zoophile.

Actually... I think that death metal one might be partly right...

[Hellcat]

I will hazzard a guess you have a much beloved woolly jumper which is coming apart, but you wear all around the house. The jumper will either be grey or rainbow striped.






No woolly jumpers here, I do own a rainbow striped one that is three sizes to big and I love to wear it in the winter, it makes me look like a slob, but I don't wear it in the house and its not exactly beloved..its just one of my favourite jumpers- next to the one I pilfered of my boyfriend which is a kind of turquoise colour and it has a fleecy lining and I love it

Anyway is that me applying a label, or is it me just profiling you? :D

That's your application for Mystic Meg's job:D