Labels wield a lot of persuasive power — intentionally or unintentionally.
I am not speaking of labels on the commodities (clothes, foods, etc.) that we buy, although in light of being an informed consumer, we should read those labels too. However, my reference is broader.
Too often as we go about our business on a day-to-day basis, we are not always in tune to how other labels — sociological, economic, political, racial, religious — affect our well-being, positively and negatively. Rightly or wrongly, we place people and things in “boxes,” or categories to manage and guide our conduct toward them, and determine many other decisions we make.
This phenomenon is perfectly normal according to sociologists. Labels, symbols, rituals, like laws and rules, provide order to our society. Such practices determine the nature and quality of any civilization. The lack of norms causes the collapse of a civilization. History is replete with examples of the rise and fall of civilizations. Therefore, labels and symbols, in and of themselves, are not bad.
How they are used can often be a problem, especially when we apply the label to a group or individual.
Many minority groups (and minority is a label), could testify about the impact labels have had on their ability, or lack thereof, to fully assimilate into society, and enjoy the opportunities and privileges afforded “non-minorities.” The minority label is not just confined to racial or ethnic groups. Minority labels may also pertain to beliefs, religious affiliations, political identity, i.e. conservative vs. liberal vs. independent, socio-economic status, etc.
Categorical and stereotypical labels can be harmful – very harmful. While they often provide a level of comfort and ease as one interacts in his/her environment, they often serve as blinders to the discovery of truth, and determining reality. While it would take more space than is available here to cover the many examples that come to mind, I will deal with the ones of which I am most familiar.
Perhaps one of the broad-sweeping impacts on African-Americans as a group has been the label that “Blacks don’t vote.” The perception is understandable based on the consistent low-voter turnout in many local and national elections. In addition, many candidates disregard the issues and concerns of African-Americans because of the perception that there will be low-voter turnout on Election Day. Consequently, what could be strong political leverage by one of the nation’s largest minority group is significantly minimized because both candidates, and African-American voters refuse to take the steps to change these limiting, even crippling, labels.
Whenever our heroes and leaders, whether athletes, politicians, business or religious leaders, fall from grace — because of illegal, and unethical behavior — there is a real danger that other labels may emerge. Hypocrite. Double Standard. We often see one set of rules applying to leaders, and another set of rules that applies to the rest of us. Turning a blind eye, meeting out justice to fit the crime is often not equally applied.
Labels affect our social standing, our economic and political power. If they are inaccurate, the affect is negative and long lasting. Many political and economic analysts argue that allowing certain stereotypical labels to go unchallenged often thwarts the efforts of many minorities to enter mainstream American politics and business.
Can you identify the labels assigned to you, your race, ethnic, or religious group? Are they accurate or inaccurate? If labels aren’t working for you, and having a positive impact, shouldn’t you take the steps to change them?
To ignore harmful labels is foolhardy.
What do you think?
Comments
labels are so fun
I think labeling and stereotypes cause people to represent the stereotype given. The classic labeling theory explains this. It says if a group of people are labeled in a certain way, subconsicously that seek to reinforce that stereotype. In opinion, I think stereotypes affect how a person acts. They potray a type of dominance on a person, a sense of I know who you are, but you couldn't possibly know anything about me. Stereotypes have always reinforced racism. Believe it or not, people actually accept them as truth, and that reinforces ignorance.
Labels and Stereotypes
I believe labeling or stereotyping them is only harmful and just plain stupid. You are putting the people you label/stereotype in a box somewhere where no one wants to be. Reasons are because most of the labels out there aren't something to be proud of being whoever you are or any type of race or gender you are. Then stereotyping some one enough times could make someone actually cir cum to the stereotype. Stereotyping/labeling is something that is always happening in society even if you realize it or not. Its an issue that is pretty hard to deal with or even try to solve they are everywhere to television and even in some stories and jokes its hard to hide from it overall.
People think about others
People think about others when they catch their first glance of them. People judge them on what they have and how they present themselves. In school this may depend on clothing. This can easily stop two people who could be great friends from being friends in general. Some people don’t mean to but they do. I’m guilty of this as well. I have judged people that I probably could’ve been friends with but we’re not. This is an issue that most people tend to do. This has been done to races and they have been crippled. If a group of people is looked at differently, then it is more difficult for them to get jobs. They could be just as qualified as the next but won’t get the job. This leads to them struggling to find a job and itll be hard for them to support their families. This is a big issue and it needs to stop. People should all have the same opportunities if they are qualified enough.
labels
As I read through the article i couldn't help but a agree with the author, in that we all make judgements on people based on commodities. After all it's hard not to. When you see a person who is dressed to the nines, and climbing out of a foregin sports car, it's hard not to sit there and think that this person is rich. I also agree with the author in thinking that there are certain people out there who make judgements on people based on things like their religion and or a persons race. Labeling a person before you get to know someone is a troubling trend, and one that i believe we as a nation are begining to over come.
In this article, it talks
In this article, it talks about stereotypes in America. Being a white male I’ve never really been stereotyped. I’m German and Lithuanian so I haven’t even heard any about those. But I’ve heard some that I think if it dealt with me I don’t know if I could take it. Yeah you probably laugh at some of these stereotypes once you hear them but imagine if you were labeled that way all the time not only would it be hurtful but also annoying. You hear these stereotypes all over the place at college, public and the work place most of the time you can look at them as jokes, but in the bigger picture you have to imagine how the person it’s about takes it. It can really hurt people and ruin parts of their life, but that’s an extreme. We as American’s should work on trying to stop these stereotypes and try to be better people.
Labels
I cannot identify as much with the race labels and stereotypes but socially I have had my fair share. I attend Abilene Christian University and I have come to find that at times it can be the worst at labeling people. Being a student at ACU almost comes with certain strings attached. Its funny though because you don’t tend to notice till you’re older and you look back on your years there and you ask yourself why you did certain things. Like, buy certain clothing or label certain people. One of our favorite things to do is label people unchristian and judge them for their sins. Who are we to judge? Personally, I chose to date the wrong kind of guy and then I was reminded of it for the next two years after we broke up. I was labeled “that girl” and stereotyped as someone people didn’t want to be around because I came with drama. Labels are real and they can be very hurtful, to this day I still cannot take a joke about dating. Even if my family jokes with me about dating around I still tense up and want to cry. Labels and stereotypes cause real wounds that take time to heal.
Labeling has become a part of society
Labeling has been part of history since the days Jesus has walked the Earth, and will not being going anywhere anytime soon. But back to the main point i believe labeling heavily effects the minorities of America and i am sure you have heard quite a few "Blacks are lazy, Asians are good at math, Hispanics are only good for labor etc. etc. And it’s quite shocking how comfortably these labels are thrown around in everyday conversation, for we don’t think twice when these "characteristics" about other races spout from our mouths. And i am not trying to target just racial labeling for i know there are plenty of other sub groups that are negatively labeled on a daily basis (sexual orientation, your body size, political standing etc.) but i believe that the most prevalent issue with labeling is race, but that’s just my personal opinion
Labels and Stereotypes
I find it interesting to think about the fact that every time I'm walking from class to class passing people going to their respected classes some of my first thoughts about people are ones that label or stereotype them. They must be this, they must be that. They're probably a ____ major. It's not really something that I think about doing, but just happens and I feel that this happens with a lot of people. Labels and stereotypes are hard to avoid. We talked in class just the other day about how after the tragedy of 9/11 if you were to see someone of middle-eastern dissent walking through an airport or working at a gas station one of your first thoughts reactions might be to feel a little uneasy, and that's labeling that person. It's very wrong to do but we just can't seem to help it. Other stereotypes that might not be quite as severe as thinking a middle-eastern person is some kind of threat might be assuming someone that is overweight is lazy. How wrong to simply assume that without knowing the person. There might be some kind of problem that person has that causes them to be that way yet you will never know because you don't get to know them but rather label and stereotype. The same can be said about every stereotype and label. If we would talk to people and maybe get to know them just a little bit it would drastically cut down on how much we would label and stereotype.
OUTDATED
For the most part labels in relation to stereotypes are also related deviance and abnormal acts. As we all know things that were considered to be abnormal a few years ago are now an everyday occurrence. So my feeling is that all these labels that we put ourselves and everyone else into is just a fad that is going to die off in the near future. As for political issues on race stereotypes i don't really think that it a huge deal. If two people are running for office one caucasian and on african american that shouldn't make a difference in our views. The best candidate will be victorious and the people will choose the right one. Race shouldn't play a part in our decision because that is an outdated view of the world. Watch the news every now and then and you realize that are one of the diverse countries in the world.
New and Outdated
I personally feel like race, labeling, and judgments that occur in our everyday life really defines and describe our country. I say this because no matter how much we disagree with it and the effect that it has on us as a people, it will still happen. Citizens across the country and our world still live in the "old days" and have their view on present day issues that reveal frustration and issues from the past. To answer the question above, I can tell you some stereotypes and labels that has been placed upon my race and ethnicity. I would definitely disagree to most of them because I don't think our race can really be defined by these opinions. The labels that we face every single day honestly doesn't really have an effect on my life because I was raised to be prepared for these events and struggles. It depends on the person and their source of strength in relating to how they were brought up as a child. Each day as we complain or have a different story about what happens to us a black people and minorities we never exercise any direction to change the perception or how to help get others to see us differently. Yet, we do exactly what is expected of us and help make their point more stronger.
Labels and Stereotypes
Labels are tricky. Even the ones that seem inoccent can, in the end, be erroneous. Oftentimes we label without thinking about it. While walking down the street, one could notice other people around and distinguish man from woman, tall from short, and other examples. But in this context, labeling isn't discriminatory. But, if I as a woman go into have my car looked at and I tell the mechanic what is wrong with my car, the mechanic will most likely still check that because it is assumed I do not understand cars. This would be a valid assumption, except my dad told me what was wrong with the car and told me to tell the mechanic. Had my dad taken the car and told the mechanic what was wrong, the mechanic might have taken a cursory glance to verify, but the parts would have been ordered and few questions asked. It is not the label that I am a woman that is wrong. It is the assumption that is made along with it. These assumptions and stereotypes have some basis (or they wouldn't exist), but regarding individuals, we should take the ideal stance of our justice system of "innocent until proven guilty".
Labels & Stereotypes
Labeling can positively and negatively impact our conduct and attitudes towards people. The lack of norms does cause a collapse in civilization. I have witnessed the impact of labeling, first-hand. Labels are, for the most part, very harmful. Labels do not hold true to the different socioeconomic groups. They are negative and the affect carries out for a long time. That time is determined by the person it affects. Are they willing to take another shot at proving their identity and integrity? They definitely put themselves in a position to be hurt even further. It is up to us to open our minds, love people and not put labels on them.
Label
I find it hard to think of a time when I was not labeled or that I did not label someone else to define who they were. Labels can have a positive and negative impact, but that impact is determined by the individuals definition of that label and how society defines it as well. We can think of the simplest labels that we give people, such as good or bad. It may seem that good or bad is innocent and used very loosely, but when I think of the term bad it gives me that little feeling inside that makes me want to change to make myself good. What do we do then if we label someone with a factor they cannot change, such a their race or gender? They must live with the fact that the label given to them is with them for life and that they have to adapt.
Would it be possible to change what a label means? Possibly, but it seems as though once a society agrees upon a given meaning then it would take a revolution to change how most people think. It is unfortunate that humans must put everyone in their place, "You are white and I am black", "You are a girl", and so on and so forth. What we must do is change the definition of the label and empower the individual to make that change happen.
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