Awesome thank you for the thoughtful reply!!
One of my biggest challenges I've always had is having empathy relative to this idea of labels and the reason for it. My belief of complete unity without the need for labels is something that can lack empathy to those on the other side of the coin. Obviously I'm not one that has ever been labeled except for something minor in my mind like being short but I got over that in high school and it's obviously nowhere near as discriminated against or even worth mentioning in the same breath to be honest
As far as claiming that labels are wrong. Nothing is ever wrong just misguided. It's that all is well mentality
Has the pride thing really resulted in a positive change to those that are ignorant in it? From personal experience, all I've heard from those that disagree with the lifestyle is further backlash claiming that it's simply being flaunted and they don't want to see it.
I'm not telling anyone to do anything with their lives or how to live it. I'm only suggesting an alternative way of thinking. Also i should have stated more clearly that I wasn't only claiming that those who identify themselves a certain way as the only ones who could benefit from a different line of thinking. I just assumed that my point would include everyone could benefit from not labeling anyone. If those that committed such an act had not agreed with the lablelling in the first place and regarded them as humans as well, I'm sure this wouldn't have occurred.
But of course this line of thinking is utopian and I get that. I just don't believe that the further use of labels will result in any type of positive change towards acceptance of that which some may see as unacceptable because they don't have a common theme to rally around. If the theme was centered around the idea that we are all one species, one race, one society just with different attributes, I truly think it would allow those that disagree with it at least a starting point to begin to allow some level of acceptance.
I thank you for the mirror as I had hoped this forum would be such an educational tool in this respect. You gave me much to think about in regards to empathy
Edit: so I started trying to find something that I identify with to allow me to see from the other side and I think I'm beginning to forn a grasp. Let's take the label of being a wanderer for instance. Once I found that I could potentially be such an entity, it did give me a sense of purpose and direction. Though I claim such a potential label, is this necessarily the same thing? Does labeling gives those that identify a certain sexuality, race, nationalism also give them a sense of purpose? Maybe this can be the bridge in my potential err in thinking.
My next question is how do these other labels serve a purpose? Since I'm ignorant, I'm truly looking for help to understanding their plight. By saying one is homosexual or African American or whatever, how does this serve a greater good in societal terms? I can see how labeling as such can provide the catalyst to those that are against such races and lifestyles to potentially allow them to accept that which they aren't. In this respect, I can see the benefit of labels in the short term.
Am I coming to a somewhat better way of thinking?
One of my biggest challenges I've always had is having empathy relative to this idea of labels and the reason for it. My belief of complete unity without the need for labels is something that can lack empathy to those on the other side of the coin. Obviously I'm not one that has ever been labeled except for something minor in my mind like being short but I got over that in high school and it's obviously nowhere near as discriminated against or even worth mentioning in the same breath to be honest
As far as claiming that labels are wrong. Nothing is ever wrong just misguided. It's that all is well mentality
Has the pride thing really resulted in a positive change to those that are ignorant in it? From personal experience, all I've heard from those that disagree with the lifestyle is further backlash claiming that it's simply being flaunted and they don't want to see it.
I'm not telling anyone to do anything with their lives or how to live it. I'm only suggesting an alternative way of thinking. Also i should have stated more clearly that I wasn't only claiming that those who identify themselves a certain way as the only ones who could benefit from a different line of thinking. I just assumed that my point would include everyone could benefit from not labeling anyone. If those that committed such an act had not agreed with the lablelling in the first place and regarded them as humans as well, I'm sure this wouldn't have occurred.
But of course this line of thinking is utopian and I get that. I just don't believe that the further use of labels will result in any type of positive change towards acceptance of that which some may see as unacceptable because they don't have a common theme to rally around. If the theme was centered around the idea that we are all one species, one race, one society just with different attributes, I truly think it would allow those that disagree with it at least a starting point to begin to allow some level of acceptance.
I thank you for the mirror as I had hoped this forum would be such an educational tool in this respect. You gave me much to think about in regards to empathy
Edit: so I started trying to find something that I identify with to allow me to see from the other side and I think I'm beginning to forn a grasp. Let's take the label of being a wanderer for instance. Once I found that I could potentially be such an entity, it did give me a sense of purpose and direction. Though I claim such a potential label, is this necessarily the same thing? Does labeling gives those that identify a certain sexuality, race, nationalism also give them a sense of purpose? Maybe this can be the bridge in my potential err in thinking.
My next question is how do these other labels serve a purpose? Since I'm ignorant, I'm truly looking for help to understanding their plight. By saying one is homosexual or African American or whatever, how does this serve a greater good in societal terms? I can see how labeling as such can provide the catalyst to those that are against such races and lifestyles to potentially allow them to accept that which they aren't. In this respect, I can see the benefit of labels in the short term.
Am I coming to a somewhat better way of thinking?
![[+]](https://www.bring4th.org/forums/images/collapse_collapsed.png)