Nowadays labels are almost everywhere, and they are a major part of how we identify others and both ourselves. Some labels are tacked on based on how people observe our behavior, but we also try to put labels on us to try and define who we are and do so to others.

In sports, a rookie who has a bad season is a bust, not giving him or her a chance to rebound in the future. When the opposite occurs and the young player plays great, not only is he or she the best today but the best ever do it (aka The GOAT) as if the critics have expert opinions on the history of the sport.

In politics, a moderate Conservative who isn't crazy about the situation Washington but doesn't hate it entirely can make him or her a perceived as greedy Republican who only cares about the 1%. Or a liberal who is disgusted by the state of politics is perceived as snowflake who cries at everything.

In reality, people are more than how they do their job at a certain time, or what political party they're aligned to, or what bumper sticker they have or what they put on social media. The black-and-white perception of the world is an overwhelming lie that too many people rely on today.

Take me for example: Looking back over the past few years I have used labels to try and define myself to others in several ways like bumper stickers, social media profiles, and things in my bedroom like posters and books on the shelf.

I have four stickers on the back of my car. One is a peace sign meaning I'm an advocate for world peace, another is a Deadpool sticker which means I like comic books and movies, Another is a Harry Potter one, meaning I like literature and fantasy, and one of all four Philadelphia sports teams logos put together meaning I'm a fan of all those teams. I didn't realize until recently that not only did I put on those stickers to decorate my car, but also to use them as labels that defined the things I like and things I like talking about.

On my social media profiles like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram I use background headers, descriptions and quotes to put on to try and define my image.

I have a Renoir painting as my Twitter header, meaning I know things about classic art and am taking a shot at Donald Trump because there's a story about him claiming to own an original. Therefore in one Twitter header, I try to show off knowledge of the arts and a small but witty political jab. I've put up quotes of the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. on my social media accounts because they're my favorite historical figures and I want to live by their message and philosophies.

For years, almost every place I go to I naturally look for a tee shirt because I always felt they were the biggest souvenir to get. Whether it's a vacation spot and I want a shirt to show that I was there or a cool shirt of my favorite show or superhero at hot topic, I always yearn to get it no matter the cost, the same went for posters as well. All so people could look at me and then my shirt and realize that that is "me", the way I want them to see me.

Recently, I've realized that while all those things create nice imagery, they are all trivial in the bigger picture. Why should people feel that enthralled about what I have on my car or Twitter account? What else should they feel besides "oh that's cool."

The truth is that a person should be defined by their actions and decisions over the course of their life. People can go into the adult world believing in one thing and end up changing their mind about something through conversation or experience.

Considering the many issues that plague the country and the world today, too often we see each side of the argument be as far to the extreme as possible, whether right or left. The realistic answers and best overall solutions lie somewhere in the middle of those debates, some answers lean left, and others lean right, but the best for everyone should be the most important one.