She's ugly. He's fat. She's stupid. He's smart. They're weird. You're retarded. He's disabled. She's black. He's white. Labeling: we might not know we do it, but we do. Often. Too often.
Each of us can probably recall a time when we have been labeled by another. Even if it was a complimentary label, such as pretty, or smart, or even perfect, something probably didn't feel right. Labels are uncomfortable. They're society's way of sorting through its population, weeding out the good and the bad, allowing the labeled to fend for themselves with the mark they've been given.
Labeling others is a crime. It takes the beautiful world we live in, and transforms it into a giant retail market. The moment we are labeled, or label someone else, we are put on a shelf. Some get put at the front of the store, some on display, and others on the stock shelves in the back. The world and its people are too diverse and eclectic to be doing this.
Making generalizations builds walls. Sometimes we get so caught in our personal bubbles we don't care to get to know about others and the lives they lead. It's easy to sit on our side of the fence and act like everything's hunky dory, while we oppress those on the other side of the fence with our words, mistakenly convincing ourselves that by doing so, we will feel more superior.
I challenge you to avoid generalizing and labeling. After all, how can we label someone, acting like we know everything about them, when we don't ever fully know ourselves? Get to know those you originally would label. For, when you know someone personally, it's hard to make judgments about them.
Take the homeless for example. It's easy for us to say they're lazy, dirty, unemployed, lacking a strong work ethic, or addicted to drugs. But, if you don't take this easy way out, and try to actually get to know their stories, you'll soon find that there are probably similarities between you, the lethal labeler, and them.
One thing I want everyone to remember is before anything else, we are all human. The fact that we have this one tremendous thing in common is important. As humans, especially Americans who thrive off of "equality and justice for all," it is vital that we recognize the humanity within each of us before we start stamping labels on others based on glances and first impressions.
Hurt people, hurt people. Think about that. When we label, we discriminate. When we label, we reject. When we label, we block ourselves off from potential opportunities and friendships. It's time we rise above. The world deserves to be label free, so let's put an end to this lethal labeling game.
