Labeling people?

Question

Why does our society (US) label people so much? Can’t you care about the environment without being a ‘hippy’? Can’t you like guns without being a ‘redneck’? When and why did our society start labeling people so much?

Answer 1

Often times I find that labelling of people is done by those who feel they are superior to others. Thus they coin a phrase or give a new name to groups of people who portray something that our superior fellow humans feel will set them apart from that group.

It truly is sad, but you can go anywhere in this world and find that people in other countries do exactly the same thing, it's not just in the United States.

This is just the opinion of "an old timer"! ; )

Answer 2

People use labels and stereotyping because our brains are constantly prompting us to organize information. We receive overwhelming amounts of information - sensory data every day and putting labels on people is one way to cope. We feel like we've processed the information received when we assign labels - she's a dumb blonde; he's an egghead, etc.
It's wrong. It's definitely not nice, but it happens all the time. There seems to be a great reluctance to think carefully about things these days. Maybe it's the result of sensory overload.

Answer 3

I think its the lazy way of ending a conversation with someone....like....'yea, that redneck knows all there is to know about guns....' Or, if you want nothing more to do with a person, you say things like 'oh, she's just a hippy freak, leave her be...'

Answer 4

It is a coping mechanism, don't you think? It is far easier to judge and label than to seek the truth. Seeking the truth almost always points right back to the person doing the seeking and reveals too many of our own inadequacies and faults. I fail all the time in not labeling those ignorant, SOBs. (wink, wink)

Answer 5

You can care about many things and not be labeled. Whether or not you pay attention to people who feel the need to label others is your decision. I believe it comes out of a combination of fear and small-mindedness. A label helps someone categorize their fears, and with that comes a feeling of power over what they have themselves labeled.

Answer 6

Because people move in packs, just like the old high school cliques. It must be hardwired into us and come from our cavemen ancestors. Every clique or group has its presuppositions about all of the other various groups and cliques, and mostly these stereotypical assumptions are correct.

Answer 7

It's called stereotyping. Here are a couple of good websites. And I agree with you, stereotyping cause people harm.

Answer 8

it's the way things are now,,sad isn't it

Answer 9

Since time began, you must have heard, you can please people most of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.