Another new insight: Labels

A million thoughts (or more) go through my mind every day and I frequently get insights into things that matter to me. *Duh!*

It's during the wee hours of the morning when I'm suppose to be studying that I receive yet another brilliant insight. Okay, it's not really all that brilliant, but it helps sort my thoughts out.

Insight: Labels are very damaging.
Labels as in labelling someone as ________ (something).
e.g. You are so depressing. You are stupid. You are lazy. You are a horse/pig/dinosaur.

I mean, if you say someone is bright/creative/good looking, then that is fine. *Side note: I welcome all flattering compliments to come pouring in.*

I am just reading up my abnormal child psychology and this recurring theme against labelling keeps appearing. e.g. You shouldn't label someone ADHD. A person is more than just someone with ADHD.

I guess if my years in undergraduate psychology taught me anything, it's a sort of sensitivity towards myself (Gardner's intrapersonal intelligence). Haha, but then, I was always so ultra sensitive (towards myself at least =P).

Okay, back to my labelling issue. Labelling is bad because you create this perception of someone who might not really be that someone.

Therefore, EVERYONE HATES BEING LABELLED. Some call it character assassination. Call you what you want, but it means the same. It's naming someone something of your choice. It's like the naming your neighbour's baby. *no one is asking for your input*

Demo: Label someone materialistic
Then, you automatically bring up other things associated with materialism (love of money, immoral, lack spirituality, corrupt, etc) and attribute them to the same person. But a label is just a label, and it is only meant to describe one aspect of a person's life. Hello, we are all multifaceted creatures here.

I've received my fair share of labels throughout my 21 years on earth and have given (imposed upon others) labels that they may or may not deserved.

I guess labels make it easy for people to classify their lives into little segments that they can organize in their brains. But such organizational ease might not, and is possibly not, the appropriate definition.

Probably everyone, including me, will still go about their lives putting tiny labelling stickers on people's forehead. *ahh, the beauty of tiny post-its* But then, it's a fair (and nice) thing to keep in mind that you are not doing justice to another person's character.