Is it important to you to identify yourself with labels?

Question

Example:
I'm Christian!
I'm an artist!
I'm a doctor
I'm Muslim!
Do you feel superior to others because of your identity tags?

Answer 1

well im a kid, well a teenager, so its hard to answer that because i dont have a job label yet. but I am a Christain, and i would never feel superior to anyone, because we are all equal. the only one who deserves to feel superior to us is God. But it makes me feel good to say Im a ballerina and a Christan because I feel like I have a life, u know?

Answer 2

In such a "progress-"centered society, people sacrifice much more important things for these identity labels. If you read the childrens' book "You Are Special," it will explain this concept in further detail and with an added perspective. In this book, the people of the town go around giving each other stars and dots (stickers). The main character always gets dots, because he has no talents. One day, he sees someone with no dots or stars at all. They just wont stick to her... It's a great book and I wouldn't want to spoil it for you.

Since I've been raised here, I would say that yes, I am proud of some of my labels. I do many noteworthy things, and I'm proud of it. But I also think that I'm post-conventionally motivated. I do things because they're the right things to do, not because people are watching me.

I try not to belittle others. Every time I have thought that I was superior to someone, it has come back to bite me, and I have seen the truth. So I always put myself on the same playing field as others. It's easier to be humble than to be humbled!

Answer 3

There are situations when your "identity tags" as you call them would aid you greatly. There is a theory in communications that says for you to be able to start a conversation with a complete stranger, you have to have a common ground. These identity tags, as general and as stereotypical as they are, can actually pave a way for deeper and more meaningful conversation. I mean, cm'on. You don't immediately dive into a conversation with deeply personal information, do you? Usually, you begin with your names, or an opinion expressed (with which you agree or disagree with), then move on to find some other things that you might commonly have like religion or sports team or political party.

In response to the second part of the question, these identity tags may be loaded with meaning (they are stereotypical). Thus, a person may indeed feel superior (also inferior) because of his/her identity tags. I myself just look on these identity tags as another social lubricant and as a useful way of simplifying diversity.

Answer 4

Stating what you are in your profession, talent , or religious beliefs,is not a label. A label is what other people tag to you. Than there are people who wear labels, like an Armani suit, Dior gown, Tommy Hilfiger's shirt, they are wearing someone Else's identity tag, and possibly that gives them a feeling of superiority

Answer 5

I wish it wasn't important to be labeled but we all do to some extent. This world is labeled and everyone wants to know what labels to classify people as so they will know how to treat and deal with them and its how we think of them. Once we are aware of persons labels we have all the assumptions that come with it good and bad. I feel that I am also part of this society because I to desire to be "something" (something to be filled in later with a label). even the ones who try now be adhere to any label have labels, outsiders, tree huggers, hippies etc. Humans label everything because we don't want to individualize everything, when you individualize everything then you must treat each thing independently with with no preconceptions. That take a lot of mental work to do and it also leaves us very vulnerable. I mean how many times would you be slapped and continue not to have and notions of the next person you meet slapping you??? But this also gives each person we interact with freedom to be themselves because they are the only ones they are being judged by. Not their sex, race, class, age or any other things with we are immediately labeled with.

Answer 6

The only purpose I see in labels is identifying yourself to people who don't know you. The people who know you don't need the labels to tell who you are. But you can't exactly explain your whole self to a random stranger in 5 minutes. So you could say "I'm a doctor" and people would think certain things, which might be wrong. After all, you didn't specify whether you're a *successful* doctor, or whether all your patients die. :P

Answer 7

I think labels are important in helping us to divide the world into manageable sizes, however they can often be too divisive, for example racism. I don't feel superior because of my particular labels (Atheist, student, etc...) but some people do.

Answer 8

Labels are left for other people lumping perceptibly similar people together and tagging them with a name so one doesn't have to consider the diversity of individuals within a group. To define one's self with some meaningless title essential reduces that person to anonmity.

Answer 9

I freaking hate labels! Granted they are necessary at times to describe things, like, sports cars vs suvs. The labels answer unasked questions. But that is why they are so damaging when applied to people. Each one of us has a potential to be anyone we want to be, and I feel that labeling ourselves hinders the process of personal development. You become the label instead of yourself, and that's a crime in my personal book of ethics. People ask me all the time, "Are you a goth?", because of two factors, I tend to wear black and I do listen to some types of "gothic" music. But does that mean that all the other characteristics of being "goth" apply to me? Absolutely not, and that's what annoys me. Labels beget assumption, and I hate it when people make asses of themselves, hehe.

Answer 10

I do...I'm a strong Christian woman and I find my esteem in Christ...not in the world...

Example...in our media (whether TV, movies, radio etc...) No one will ever be "good" enough, pretty/beautiful, skinny (healthy)/ smart etc...enough! People always compare themselves with someone else.

Ladies, think about this a minute. When you see another beautiful lady (in your opinion)...you begin to compare yourself to her. She's taller, thinner, better skin...what-ever. We know we run down that checklist...We do it...unless we come to the realization that...she has different "gifts" than I do...what-ever her gifts, talents or blessings...we each have our own.

Most people either label themselves or someone else will usually put a label on them. It's our society. They can't seem to help themselves.