The Danish Philosopher Soeren Kierkegaard once wrote (essentially) that ‘if you label me, you kill me’.
What does that mean ?
My take: That we should always acknowledge the incredible power of change, adaptation and development that we humans are capable of. That we are not static.
- Label me lazy – I am energetic tomorrow
- Label me stupid – I may have powers of which you do not know
- Label me fat – I may begin to work out and shape my body
- Label me ugly – I may be beautiful to someone else
- Label me – and you kill yourself too ! (my ‘add-on’)
Surely, in the modern and media-made world it is extremly hard not to label, in general. But once you begin to catch yourself in doing it… and once you begin to stop the labelling… you find that you are set free… and are able just to live.
You see, that is what we do ! Behind all the merchandise, all the fancy cars, all the expensive jewleries, all the hard-won marathons (oh yes !), all the perfect and polite children, all the impressive carreers and alluring CV’s, we all just live. We do not need justification or allowance. We all have the birthright of breathing.
So… do you really live ? Or are you just alive … spending your time labeling, spending your time defending your labels ?
Well, in that case… you’re already dead. Bad choice !
Change it ! Who gives a crap about ‘the others’ anyways ?
Change !