labeling...is this still an issue? are you guilty of doing it? will it stop?

FlawlessOne · #1 04-06-2008, 06:49 AM

is labeling still an issue? let's be honest. do you label other people or groups of people? have you yourself been labelled? i'll be the 1st to admit, that i'm guilty of doing it myself. do you think it's all in our heads or based on our own experiences? i get labelled a lot and i'm a 3rd year law student. the people that i've been labelled by would never know i was in law school. i'll use ted bundy for example. he came across as handsome, articulate and intelligent, but yet he was a serial killer. it was easy for him to get women to follow him based on his appearance. basically he looked innocent.

what are your thoughts on the issue of labeling other people or creating an opinion about someone you've only seen but never met?

Scandia · #2 04-06-2008, 08:35 AM

Everybody is guilty of labeling every once in a while. Some people are harder to label than others. As long as you do not pigeonhole someone simply because of where he/she/ancestors would be from and you do get to know the person instead of seeing just the vital statistics, it is natural.

cheerfulgreek · #3 04-06-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scandia

Everybody is guilty of labeling every once in a while. Some people are harder to label than others. As long as you do not pigeonhole someone simply because of where he/she/ancestors would be from and you do get to know the person instead of seeing just the vital statistics, it is natural.

I agree. I think all of us hold unconscious cliched beliefs about social groups, rather it's black and white, female and male, old and young, gay and straight ect ect. Certain social scenarios can automatically activate implicit sterotypes and attitudes, which then can affect our perceptions, judgements and behavior, inlcuding the choice of who to accept as a friend, or even who to hire for a job.

I also think we do this sometimes in order to make sense of the world around us. We put things into groups and remember relations between objects and actions or adjectives, like people automatically know that cars are related to speed, or candy taste sweet or that bees sting. Such associations often reside outside conscious understanding. I think the problem arises when we form associations that contradict our intentions, beliefs and values. To me, stereotypes undermine values such as fairness and equality.

Ted Bundy handsome???

I always had the hots for Charles Manson.

Drolefille · #4 04-06-2008, 12:43 PM

cheerfulgreek you're right, it is an inherent way that humans look at the world. Go back in time: You toss a stranger into a "kin or not-kin" category. Later in our development we'd toss a stranger into Foe, Uncertain, or Friend.
Food is good vs. bad. Then it's good-tastes good, good-tastes bad, etc. Now it's high in carbs, low-fat, delicious but will set my diet back for a week, etc.

We like to put things into boxes and smack labels on them so we don't have to consciously think about the qualities of that person, food, thing, anymore.

I know I do it myself, I do try to be aware of it and catch myself if it's inappropriate.

DaemonSeid · #5 04-06-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scandia

Everybody is guilty of labeling every once in a while. Some people are harder to label than others. As long as you do not pigeonhole someone simply because of where he/she/ancestors would be from and you do get to know the person instead of seeing just the vital statistics, it is natural.

as long as there is something out there descriptive that humankind can label each other...it will be used...

height, weight, anything that makes a person or a croup of persons distinctive will be fair game...

#6 04-06-2008, 05:42 PM

Kinda odd for someone's first post.

JMHO.

Senusret I · #7 04-06-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTW

Kinda odd for someone's first post.

JMHO.

Seems kinda homeworky, doesn't it?

FlawlessOne · #8 04-07-2008, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTW

Kinda odd for someone's first post.

JMHO.

no, not odd at all. i've been on here before discussing other threads based on racial issues in this country. i was asked to leave, but now i'm back with a more subtle approach on these issues that are hurting this country so dearly. great observation.

FlawlessOne · #9 04-07-2008, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

as long as there is something out there descriptive that humankind can label each other...it will be used...

height, weight, anything that makes a person or a croup of persons distinctive will be fair game...

why is it fair game?

DaemonSeid · #10 04-07-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlawlessOne

why is it fair game?

I tell you what...before I answer the question dear poster....give me your opinion that you are addressing in this this thread beyond your opening post.

usually, when someone posts a thread..unless they state otherwise...they usually chime in with more of thier own thoughts...it's what we around here call holding a conversation...

If you are doing research for a paper or something, you may want to inform us so that way we can make an informed decision on how we will address this topic.

No one likes being blind guinea pigs for someone else's homework assignment.