That seems to be exactly how I think and feel about it.

I think being mislabeled is inevitable. A combination of an imprecise language and the fact that a lot of people either don't know better, don't care or care for all the wrong reasons.

Along with what other folks have said about using this to your advantage, I think it can be helpful to learn how you are viewed. Sometimes there is a huge gap between the way you want to be perceived and how you actually are perceived. Like listening to myself on an answering machine; my voice never sounds the same as it does inside my head.

Re: whether or not it bothers me. I think it depends on the audience. Being called a devil-worshiper by a bunch of kids in highschool might've been funny. Being called the same thing by a spiteful ex when you're trying to gain custody of your kids, not so much.

Labels can cost people their jobs, they can get people locked up, they can get people dead. So I'd be cautious about being too dismissive about their importance. Context and all that.

I personally find nothing wrong with labels. Actually I am quite fond of them.
They are useful, fun and can be used to your advantage if you are skilled in lesser magic.

And I think I sound a bit like a lady Kermit the Frog on recordings . Other people assure me it ain't so.

As a teenager, I began to receive feedback from people that my voice was harsh and sometimes monotonous, and my tone, condescending and cold. I wasn't even aware of this until then, so I had to go back to the proverbial drawing board (or recording studio, more like) and learn how to soften my tone and warm my voice.



Right. I also don't like being grossly misunderstood by people I care about, of course.

As you noted, because labels can cost you your life or your livelihood, it can also be quite important to leave a positive--even if it's inaccurate or false--impression on those in positions of power or authority.

Premiering Tonight: Witch TrojZyr singing "The Rainbow Connection"!

I sound like Lauren Bacall in my head (of course). Unfortunately the reality (at least on that one answering machine) was closer to Baby Firefly.

Imagine my horror.

I don't mind being labled at all. Here's a picture of today's label:

I'm really liking that shirt.

I thought about buying this one just for fun.

Labels in general can be useful to label-ee and label-er. Labels in particular and in context can certainly be problematic. But I think many people who dislike labels in general are reacting to the fact that one label can be perceived as excluding another label in some minds; e.g., being labeled as a jock can exclude (in some minds) being labeled as a scholar, or vice versa; and many people would like the flexibility of being perceived as whichever of the two is most advantageous in a given context. This doesn't bother me because I typically volunteer information about myself that will cause my listener to think of me in the desired manner.

I seriously don't care, you can label me all you want till you are blue in the face. It is your time not mine.

Here is a quote I admire from an unknown author:

"Your opinion of me is none of my business. What I think of you is what you should be concerned about. Handle your own business, or I will handle it for you. "

I think it's natural for most humans to what to label others. By putting people into categories they know what they are and how to deal with them.

Case in point: I love black, velvet, lace, silver and amethyst, horror movies etc.
Ok, you're a goth.
But I don't really like goth music, I like black/death metal.
Ok, you're a metalhead.
Yeah, but I'm also a computer programmer, graphic artist and web designer who enjoys comic books, science fiction and various sciences.
Ok, you're a nerd.
But I also enjoy classical music and played classical flute for many years.
Band geek?
And I also study psychology, languages, literature and...
Ok WTH are you???

My own personal objection to labels is that too often the labeller is applying the label with the intent of degrading or limiting the labellee.

We all wear labels whether we like it or not but we are also more than that. (I would hope) One label doesn't always encapsulate the labellee nor should we allow ourselves to be restricted by the scope of our labels, self-imposed or not.

My two cents.

I love labels. Sure, they often lead to gross generalizations, but they are useful. The only problem I ever see is when people try to conform to a specific label just to have an identity.

I kind of like being labeled, so long as the label isn't too insulting. It's always interesting to see how people label me, and I don't make it easy for them. Back in school, I had a foot in several crowds: skaters, stoners, rednecks, nerds, goths, whites, blacks, Mexicans...a little bit of each culture rubbed off on me. I never considered it conforming; I just had a large number of cultural interests (I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I married a foreigner). However, the diversity of my personal and cultural expressions often confuses people (cowboy hats and Nas t-shirts don't go together?) It's not intentional, but it's fun to watch the confusion. Keep the labels coming.

Labels are also great for things other than people. For one, I love labels in music because it helps me know what I'm getting into when I discover a new artist. Artists often hate being pigeonholed, but the labels are very useful. It would surely be very hard to read an album review without some kind of artist or genre reference. I'm sure it can be done, but it takes more talent than most journalists have. Give me some points of reference...please. And there is always a point of reference. Don't pretend that your "unique" band was created in a vacuum.

Everyone labels. I label people that I meet or know. Some have complicated labels and some have simple labels in my mind. This seems to be the way that I cognitively recognize different people and categorize them in my mind.

I think we all label everyone and everything, and sometimes get quite the shock when we find that we MISlabeled them - I get that alot!