Labelling or categorisation makes our world simpler. When labels are used to describe behaviours, they tend to be specific. Labels used to describe people, e.g. a lazy person tends to be a vague description and as such can be confusing. When men use labelling on people, it seems to be an afterthought as it is not in their present focus, for the most part. I conceptualize it as an afterthought as once a label has been attached to a person, the man may actually forget that he has given that person a label. In essence, the label doesn’t stick. When women label a person, it sticks for far longer than men can even conceptualize. However the kind of labels that women use for largely other women and to a smaller degree, for men, are dependent on how they view that person in relation to themselves and in relation to the context and time.
Labels, for women, serve more than just a utilitarian purpose. They seem to also serve a higher psychological need.
Labels like “the angry one” may denote a person who is frustrated, and without a grouping to draw from. [I’ll explain that later when I talk about alliances] Once assigned, the label seems to persist over time, even if the situation and context in which the label was generated, changes. Labels are not always derogatory. For example, “one of the good children” may refer to a colleague (usually more junior) who is conscientious, hard-working and accommodating. Typically labels come with more than one word. A combination of two words or more adapts or morphs the meaning to something that is very specific, in the context and at the time. When labels are shared, they infiltrate the group. Very rarely do new labels override the existing ones. The exception seems to be the slight variation on the theme of the label.
Labels like “the angry one” may denote a person who is frustrated, and without a grouping to draw from. [I’ll explain that later when I talk about alliances] Once assigned, the label seems to persist over time, even if the situation and context in which the label was generated, changes. Labels are not always derogatory. For example, “one of the good children” may refer to a colleague (usually more junior) who is conscientious, hard-working and accommodating. Typically labels come with more than one word. A combination of two words or more adapts or morphs the meaning to something that is very specific, in the context and at the time. When labels are shared, they infiltrate the group. Very rarely do new labels override the existing ones. The exception seems to be the slight variation on the theme of the label.
Women give other women labels all the time. The practice is so widespread and seemingly permeates cross culturally that to not label is almost an alien concept. Sometimes, a woman may reserve judgement until more is known of the person they are dealing with before proceeding to label them. Again, once a person is labelled, the label sticks.
Occasionally, a man create a label that a woman picks up on. However, the woman will personalise the label to suit her needs, and in this form, it may not resemble the original form.
As women teach traditions, they seem well equipped to perpetuate labels.
Women, at some future point in time, may remind the men that it was the men that created the label without fully realising that there was personalisation was done by them and the label does not even resemble the original concept that the men came up with. Seemingly, that’s but one reason why the men don’t remember anything.
As women teach traditions, they seem well equipped to perpetuate labels.
Women, at some future point in time, may remind the men that it was the men that created the label without fully realising that there was personalisation was done by them and the label does not even resemble the original concept that the men came up with. Seemingly, that’s but one reason why the men don’t remember anything.
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