The Importance Of Labeling In Society

Categorizing is a fundamental behavior people do daily to grasp an understanding of his or her surroundings. This includes other people one may come in contact with. By labeling or judging others, a person gains a better sense of that individual without actually getting to know them. The behavior has become so common in society today to the point that it happens naturally without one realizing it. However, this can be also be considered a bad habit, because labeling can also cause stereotypes and hostility towards others. By fully understanding why people label others, one may be more aware of his or her own thought process. Author Brenda J. Allen addresses this issue in her book, Difference Matters, so people can change their behavior of labeling

Why one judges another may be due to the fact that people have been doing so for centuries and it has simply progressed over the years. In her Difference Matters book, Brenda Allen states that a “reason we might suppose that certain persons occupy particular roles… stems from a complex history in the United States of systemic, socially reproduced inequities” (2-3). The problems America faced when becoming a unified country were not easy, as many know. Though social injustices such as racial and religious discrimination, gender inequality, are not as predominant today as they used to be, the history of it remains. People are reminded of the past inequalities and continue to judge others intentionally or subconsciously. Furthermore, the connection between “identity shifts and historical cultural configurations, [suggests] that certain character types are encouraged by cultures through differential socialization practices” (Howard 7). The way people act is influenced by when, where, and who with they were raised. Someone born in the 1930s will have different surroundings, which will effect how that person acts and thinks than compared to someone born in the 2000s. Identity itself and how one perceives another individual’s identity goes hand in hand with the history of how it came to

Though there are good intentions, history has taught people that judging others can lead to negative consequences. As Allen states, in distinguishing people by labeling, “efforts to address difference can arouse negative feelings from members of nondominant and dominant groups” (Allen 6). Therefore, people need to be aware of how they are judging others, as sometimes, the judgments can be too harsh or rude instead of helpful. It is natural for someone to group others based on how they present themselves in order to make sense of who that someone is and what the situation is. It is not natural, however, to label others for the intentions of being rude. Knowing the difference can help the change the behavior of labeling others, as the overall act itself is