Why is everyone so into cliques and labels?

Question

It is such a pain! At school there's Nerds, Jocks, Preps, Emos, Freaks, Populars, Norms, in-betweens, and Floaters. I'm tired of people looking at each other and judging you instantly! What's up with it??

Answer 1

we are socialized to classify everything and everyone we meet. the good news is that it gets better as you get older. outside of school, there are still cliques and groups but they it doesn't seem to be as hurtful.

Answer 2

It's human nature for us to think of people in own group as being unique and diverse, and people other groups as being all the same.

The truth is that each individual is so complex that you could live with them for years and still not know a lot of things about them (trust me on this one, I'm married).

There's really no way our brains can comprehend the complexity of every individual, so instead we take 'mental shortcuts' and assign labels to people in attempt to understand our world. But of course these short-cuts are often innacurrate.

Now, there are a couple of things we can do to be more open-minded, even if we don't have the brain-power to understand everyone and everything:

- We can start by assuming the best about people. If a person buys into all the stereotypes too much and assumes all jocks are stupid, all preps are concieted, all freaks are dangerous, etc., then people just won't like them very much. After all, who wants to be around someone who assumes you're a bad person even before they even meet you?

- We can keep an open mind and let people be themselves. For example, if a freak does something completely normal, don't tell him he's being weird, just let him be himself. If a jock joins the computer club, so what? Everyone should let people do what they want, not put them in little boxes and then shove them back in every time they try to get out.

Answer 3

What the heck is an emo?

Actually, I have always hated the clique principle myself.


There is nothing wrong with like-minded or like-interested people getting together, but the perversion of the clique mentality is that they try to label the other groups and outsiders as somehow inferior and misfits, which is a definite sin against the diversity and individuality that God gave us.

Differences in groups and people should elicit respect for the fact of differences (as should be the stance between the different races of the world), but all too often it is merely the opportunity for mutual envy, hatred, and persecution.




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Answer 4

In many ways - people are like animals. We have a need to belong. Even many of the so called "rebels" are actually rebelling in a very distinct way, so as to belong. In my youth it was the "punk rockers" - then came "grunge rockers" and so on. We tend to be most comfortable with those who are most like ourselves, therefore, when people see someone different, they try to classify them into a known group that they have experienced. How you judge that group, the goth, the emo, the whatever, will depend upon your experience with them

There is also a societal pressure to conform. In large groups, people don't deal well with those outside the norm. So, while it might be perfectly normal to walk around the beaches in France topless (as a woman) the same behavior is frowned upon in the United States.

While we may not like it - it is very common throughout all human communities. Those who claim otherwise should pick the most accepting group out there and see how they would respond to someone with very different values wanting to join their group. The TV show "30 Days" dealt with this every week. Very interesting

Answer 5

Honey, that has been going on since cavemen walked the earth! Sad to say, people feel better, safer, in groups of like-minded people. It's the strong ones, the special ones that strike out on their own, or have friends in all groups, and can't stand the cliques that are special. Welcome to the special crowd!

I have to admit something here, what is a "floater" and an "emo"? Been a while since I've been in h.s....lol.

Answer 6

I honestly never understood cliques in school. I wasn't apart of one. I flowed freely between them, friends with every one. Then again, strong cliques didn't exist in my school. Sure there were the jocks, and the smart kids, and the preps, and the goths. But no one confined them selves to a group. Every one was pretty much friends with every one. I was lucky in that regard, I wish every one was. But no matter where you go in life, people are going to judge you. When you leave high school and go to college, people will judge you. When you leave college and go to work, people will judge you there to. Its a sad fact of life that most people judge a person on first appearance.

Answer 7

You must be in high school. You're right - it sucks. But it's what happens in high school.

Bad news: nothing is going to change it - it's been happening forever as young folks struggle to find out where they "fit" into society.

Good News: High School does not last forever.

Hang in there and don't let it get you off focus - your job is to prepare for a successful adulthood. Focus on your studies and the rest will take care of itself. You're already off to a great start - you have the sense to ask when things don't seem right - lots of people never get that far!

Answer 8

well, some people it is sooooo obvious who they are. All in black and pentagram? Goth. Cut wrists and eyeliner? Emo. Nice clothes and popped collar? Prep. Now there are people who dont fall into any of these, but for the most part, people who are similar attract each other, and they feel more comfortable together.

Answer 9

well "freaks" may be a bit harsh, but the majority of the ppl who r labeled label themselves. ppl who r nerds, jocks, preps, emo, etc generally have called themselves just that at some point.

Answer 10

It is true that everyone fits into certain groups. The problem is that too many people judge others concerning the group they happen to be a part of.

Answer 11

Cliques naturally form when people become friends with other people with similar interests and styles. Its always easier to be friends with people with things in common. It is very easy to have friends in other cliques though, so I don't really see it as being a problem.