Labels

and how the angle changes the view.

Taxonomy is the branch of science concerned with systematic classification of organisms; it’s how we know that Homo habilis preceded Homo erectus. It helps scientists unravel the evolutionary path that lead to us modern humans, the walking and talking descendants of hominins, that so badly wanted to escape reality, they came up with the Avengers. If you look up how many species of humans have existed over the eons, you’ll get confused. They say there are different lists, and scientists are disputing whom to include as our closest ancestors, therefore in essence, there is no consensus on what makes us human. That’s a matter of opinion; different perspectives result in different answers.

We do the same in our everyday lives. We look at someone on the street and immediately assign characteristics and labels. Fat, tall, pretty, athletic. A guy hits a sign post because he’s looking at his phone and we immediately think he must be some kind of idiot. Maybe he’s a nuclear physicist and he just solved the energy crisis, or just worried about his mom not calling him back. And also some kind of idiot.

Classifying groups of humans by the color of their skin, their religion, political beliefs or any other contested notion, is the source of innumerable clashes. Supporters of the former USA president stormed the Capitol in what has been described as failed coup, but in their view, they were fighting for democracy. They thought it was the right thing to do and, like Rosa Parks, they reached a boiling point and decided to take action. Of course, there’s no debate about which of these two was on the right side of history and which was blindly following a false prophet, but try convincing either that they’re wrong.

At the individual level, we like to know who we are and where we stand in the world, but are our labels really what defines us and gives us value? Take Ricky Gervais for example, he’s a complete jackass when when asked why he doesn’t want kids, but deep down a sentimental fool (according to gossip). Take another, more abstract example, less subject to Hollywood: lawyers and garbage collectors. Personally, I’ve never needed a lawyer but I need my garbage collected twice a week; so why is one considered more prestigious than the other?

Finally, at the very personal level, by shaping opinions of what characterizes us best, we are locking ourselves up in little boxes, pre-defining the acceptable behavior for what we are. I can be a hypochondriac and I can be aloof, all at the same time, so why should I settle on a specific version, subjecting myself to either a lifetime of anxiety or indifference?

Even for labels that we created in order to serve a purpose, we are now realizing that the human condition can exist on a spectrum and can’t be precisely defined; take autism, which started singular and now includes a range of atypical conditions, or the LGBT community, which keeps adding letters and symbols to the acronym. It’s not that we got it wrong when we first defined it, it’s that we never realized there was no one definition. Allowing ourselves to be fluid in how we describe and experience our realities, helps us enjoy them instead of worrying that we’ve stepped out of line.