Labels and the BOX they put us in!

I have seen an enormous use of LABELS recently.

First let us talk about the labels. Here are a few labels-

Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, Liberal, Conservative, Anarchist, Communist, Fascist, Left wing, Right wing, Terrorist, Racist, Tea Bagger, Obamabot, Patriots, Birthers etc etc etc

I have discussed this recently with several people on threads, U2U’s, and with friends. It seems that labels are used for many different purposes. Mainly to give something a name for some purpose, usually so you can do something with it. Like labeling a box of dishes so you can find them later.

There is another purpose for the use of labels, to put people in a BOX , to defame, to demean amongst other purposes.

A box is separable, it is definable, and it is controllable. For an example; labeling veterans, home schoolers and right wingers TERRORISTS. Now you have control of that box. Every time someone mentions a home school couple now you will think TERRORIST. Anything that you repeatedly see affiliated with the label terrorist you will automatically put it into that box. You can separate it from everything and everyone else. You can control everyone you put into that box by just mentioning that label.

Numerous people, including me, here at ATS are guilty of using labels for many purposes.

As an example, what do you think of when I put these three labels together Patriots/Birthers/Teabaggers. Did you think maybe racists, terrorists, or maybe revolutionaries? The seeds are out there and they are growing. You are meant to affiliate anyone they put in their box, with terrorists or revolutionaries.

You have seen it on the news, you have seen it on the web, hell you have seen it here.

I vow right now to quit using labels, how about you? You can remove yourself from that box by seeing the box. You can call out other people for using those labels and tell them to quit putting you into that box.

They use it for divide, they use it to control, they use it to define and they use it to conquer.

Now; let’s talk about that BOX.

You have been placed in a box your whole life. When you were in school they separated you into different boxes and you put yourself into boxes(clichés). You were trained not to want to get out of your box. The box keeps you safe, it keeps you warm, and it keeps you sane. People are afraid to get out of their boxes now, they do not even want to know they are in a box or that the box exists.

Right now, I vow to try not to label others and I also vow to think outside that box. It is a scary proposition, I know, when I started here I thought there was no damn way I have liberal leanings. I was wrong, and thanks to a couple people here, I was able to see outside my box and it was not so scary.

Do you vow to think outside YOUR box, how about taking a walk around out here, it is not so bad.

Any thoughts outside that box?



edit grammar

[edit on 1/6/2010 by endisnighe]

Did they really know we would split up into "Goths, punks, jocks, etc." or was this just a creation from human diversity? How about the split of races, and language barriers?

How was it all started, that is my question.

I dont deny your truth

reply to post by sgrrsh26


Yes, I could have made this a huge thread delving into all of the aspects of this, but than it would have become a book. Thanks for seeing the box.

For years I have been trying to break out of the box. My brother is one that loves boxes. Loves labels. It might be his way of thinking. The compartmentalization of things is his deal. Organization and such. I love him to death.

When him and I discuss politics, his favorite thing to do is to generalize and place me into a box with a glossy label. Which just gives me ammunition, but none the less, it is frustrating that if opposing ideas are presented, I am instantly placed into a lot, just because that lot has a semblance of what I think.

I know I am guilty of placing labels from time to time, although I strive really hard to stray away from generalizations and broad paint strokes.

The large reason I work really hard to not generalize, label and place people into boxes is, I do not know all their thoughts. I do not know all their politics, dreams, aspirations, or lives.

How can we label people when we only know a small inkling of information? Yet, Mankind will continue to do so...today, tomorrow and a hundred years from now. (I cannot foresee the future, but path we are on know, I do not see it going away any time soon )

Originally posted by endisnighe
Right now, I vow to try not to label others and I also vow to think outside that box. It is a scary proposition, I know, when I started here I thought there was no damn way I have liberal leanings. I was wrong, and thanks to a couple people here, I was able to see outside my box and it was not so scary.

I'm really glad to hear this. It's enough to make me start reading your posts again. I admit I started skipping over them a while ago.

I have many friends whose beliefs are different than mine because I believe we're all people and our beliefs are just like clothes we wear or the car we drive. There's no reason to hate people who are different than us of who fit under a different label.

Good luck with this!

reply to post by ownbestenemy


I wanted to say that my friends are the same way. Like to label everything. I think it's the way we are raised and taught formally and from our environment.

I hope we can break from what you speak of, it goes further than racism and the like. It goes to every aspect of the human experience. I can see your attempts to not label or put people in boxes by the way you are able to debate.

I had been going through my older threads and noticed my tendencies to label and place in the box. Thanks for the comment.

[edit on 1/6/2010 by endisnighe]

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Actually BH, you are one of those that I was speaking of.

I am an extreme right winger, ooohh, there I go again.

I do admit I am a hothead when in comes to my positions and hate to admit defeat on them. But I am learning to curb my concrete positions a little.

Thanks for the visit.

Didnt Hitler teach the politicians to put "all" their enemies in one box and give them all one name then teach the people to hate that bunch. We see this today with the word terrorists.

reply to post by EagleClaw


I never knew that. If true, it would not be the first thing our government has used from that regime. I can think of many other techniques they have instituted from it. Of course this could be one of the worst techniques.

And yes, terrorist labeling is definitely being used everywhere.

Thanks for your comment.

edit to add, okay now I feel like an idiot. Jeeez!

[edit on 1/5/2010 by endisnighe]

I try not to define the individual that way, but I am sure I have been guilty of it.
I think a person can be defined by their ideology as it pertains to the relevant subject, but they can be much more than, say, a "collectivist" or a "conservative." The might actually be human. I wouldn't assume that....

Heck, they might not even know WHAT they are, or what they are advocating. But someone will make it simple for them and tell them what they are! They may think they are doing that person a favor.

The world is a complicated place and there are a lot of people that want others to analyze and define it for them. These people "trust" some talking head to tell them what box they should put "Joe the plumber" in, for example.

So, no, it won't go away. We can choose to be civil, however.

reply to post by endisnighe

They use it for divide, they use it to control, they use it to define and they use it to conquer.

Excellent point.

Now; let’s talk about that BOX.

You have been placed in a box your whole lives. When you were in school they separated you into different boxes and you put yourself into boxes(clichés). You were trained not to want to get out of your box. The box keeps you safe, it keeps you warm, and it keeps you sane. People are afraid to get out of their boxes now, they do not even want to know they are in a box or that the box exists.

Could it be possible that, instead of not wanting to get out of the box, many people don't ever know that there IS a box? You can't "choose" to get out, or stay in, if you've never heard of the possibility that there is something "other" than where you are... It's like, not asking questions about something because there's nothing to question? If it's not in your reality, how would you know until it's pointed out? or Experience? Only then can one begin to understand that there may be something else to look at and to question... Am I making sense?




[edit on 5-1-2010 by LadySkadi]

Originally posted by endisnighe


I have experienced the same but in the other "direction". I see that my previous ideas are not always correct when put into action and I still some of my ideas as good.
What I finally see is much of this is a matter of perception of control, what may give you more control may in fact infringe on your control in some other way, in some other unforeseen manner.

The unfortunate thing is this realization does not create better answers, only better questions.

I am glad to have met so many people with contrary views, it has expanded my mind
and distilled my values... Thanks OP

reply to post by LadySkadi

Could it be possible that, instead of not wanting to get out of the box, many people don't ever know that there IS a box? You can't "choose" to get out, or stay in, if you've never heard of the possibility that there is something "other" than where you are... It's like, not asking questions about something because there's nothing to question? If it's not in your reality, how would you know until it's pointed out? or Experience? Only then can one begin to understand that there may be something else to look at and to question... Am I making sense?

From my OP

People are afraid to get out of their boxes now, they do not even want to know they are in a box or that the box exists.

You are making perfect sense. Like I was talking about when I joined here, I thought I was happy to be what I thought I was. Over the past few months I realized that my viewpoint on my label was wrong.

This revelation, to think outside the box, made me realize I had to be in one to think outside it.

You have broken it down exactly as I did. How do you even know their is another reality except your own?

If I could give you five stars I would. Thanks for THINKING outside the box.

reply to post by EagleClaw


Many other words too EagleClaw. There are so many we can list. Homosexuals, Terrorist, Right-Wingers, Leftists, Socialist, so on and so on.

Back in the 50's, America's hot box issue, no pun intended unless you want to infer it, was Commies and Communist. It is easier to vilify and turn public opinion when a perceived common enemy is identified.

As everyday people, placing labels and putting people in boxes, doesn't do much harm except show one's critical thinking skills and understanding. Whereas in the hands of politicians, labels and boxes, along with misuse of words and meanings are like a precision guided bomb and do far more damage.

reply to post by EagleClaw

Was that box named "Jew"?
I do know the methods of Hitler, Mao, (Attila the Hun?) are analyzed by Elites and control freaks to try to understand how they did it.

reply to post by Janky Red


Well you know Janky, you were mentioned in the OP.

I know, when I started here I thought there was no damn way I have liberal leanings. I was wrong, and thanks to a couple people here, I was able to see outside my box and it was not so scary.

Your next statement here is another quote I may use in the future. See, inspiration to come up with ideas, not always better answers but better questions.

The unfortunate thing is this realization does not create better answers, only better questions.

My father and I use to play Chess all the time. I played him until the day I beat him, this took years. The day I beat him he said that would be the last game we played. You cannot learn anything from someone that knows the same things as you, you can only learn from something different. He was an inspiring man. And people such as you are the same.

I am glad to have met so many people with contrary views, it has expanded my mind and distilled my values... Thanks OP

reply to post by Stewie


But I think these talking heads, and us, are dangerous when we place labels on people. This helps to divide us. People here have the same views as I and they are in the other box!

Just so you know that that label they place on us is not what defines us, but what controls us.

Thanks for your comment and think outside that BOX.

[edit on 1/5/2010 by endisnighe]

Really nice post. However there is the small minority of us that don't care about the label nor it's conotations, no matter what they are. When I was younger, in the 70's and 80's, if I'd have been called some of the things that I'm labeled today, I'd have been mortified. However, those same labels today are a mere ghost of what they were in the past. Miss use and professional victims have changed all of that.
They serve to seperate and conquer as you pointed out, yet to some they have no meanings. I know in my own life, I know who I am, what I believe, and what I value, someone living outside of it can label me anything they want.........I'm me.

reply to post by endisnighe


Life is learning! It is refreshing to see a post like you
have done.
Most times I say things to people that may come across
in a bad way, but it is more to get a reaction. To make a
person think or learn about themselves. This also lets me
know where they stand and whether I want to use my limited
time on them. Basically, another box.

Putting a box around someone may make it easier for
us, but how does it help (them) or us?

Are boxes good or bad?

I guess that depends on the intent of the person doing
the placing.

reply to post by adifferentbreed


I got the idea for this thread from several different things over the last couple of days.

The main one was a comment I wrote when someone asked what label should we put on an idea.

My response was that for myself I do not like labels. I am what I am. You know the old Popeye saying.

Iyam what Iyam!

Thanks for the comment and think outside that BOX.