The Effects of Labeling in Society

We all have a subconscious, and sometimes careless, tendency to label the people around us. Instead of focusing on the psychology behind labeling theory, let's explore how commonly we overlook the effects of labeling others. We also tend to label one another regardless of how similar or different we are from each other. Nobody's safe. The truth is, we label others very carelessly; if we can't use them positively, maybe it's best we don't use them at all.

So, what do I mean by labeling? I think of labeling as a way to describe other people based on stereotypes and assumptions, instead of their true character. It's applying the general traits of larger groups of people to a specific individual. As you can imagine, that can cause some concern as people aren't always labeled in a positive light.

We tend to label people in two different ways:

tangibly – attributes, possessions/wealth, physical features, etc. (the perception of who you are)
intangibly – personality types, individual qualities, etc. (who you are).
It's easy to label others based on what we can easily see or find out about them. However, it requires more time and effort to speak to an individual's character. Many people tend to ignore the latter and draw attention to people's differences - we are a lot more similar than we sometimes realize.

To share a personal example of labeling, I'll use my name: Alfred. I'm blessed to be named after my dad – a great man and an even better father. Names are one of the many attributes we can use to identify ourselves. However, since it’s not the most common name for a young Black guy, I get mixed responses when introducing myself. Oftentimes, people make the introduction a lot more awkward, sometimes even uncomfortable, than necessary. A lot of people will say “so do you go by Alfred?” or “is that what you like to be called,” and just stop there.

Sometimes, though, it's clear that I'm being labeled in a negative way when people take it a step further. I think years back to a girl I met from a different high school in Baltimore, who’s first question to me was “why your momma give you that name?” Another more recent example is my trip to the DMV to finally switch over to a Georgia drivers license. I felt some type of way when the agent helping me face palmed as she said “what was your parents thinking giving you this name?” So much for southern hospitality, right...? And then there was my first of many annual trips to the Garden Party (a popular event hosted annually by a local law firm in Atlanta). A friend of a friend offered to add me to the guest list but we hadn't been introduced yet. I told him my name, he laughed in disbelief, saying he couldn't add that name to the list and be taken seriously. Of course he was just kidding, but I think you get the point. In all three of these examples, I was labeled by other Blacks as not being "Black enough."

The harsh reality we face today is that despite how many stereotypes you fit, or don’t fit, some people will accept you but others will label and judge you. You can't please everyone. No matter how many times I’m featured in diversity profiles, to some people I’ll never be considered Black enough because of my name alone. It may not matter how much Korede Bello or Shatta Wale I listen to - to some, I’ll never be Ghanaian enough without speaking Twi fluently. On the other hand, though, if I speak with proper grammar and enunciate my words, then I might be seen as "too White."

I hesitate to mention politics for obvious reasons, but since we're talking about names and labels, I feel the urge to mention President Obama. Now, regardless of whether or not you support him or approve of his job in the Oval Office, you have to admit he's a great public speaker. When discussing his opportunity at the presidency, President Obama made a remark on the 2004 campaign trail that stuck with me: “the truth is, not a lot of people gave me a chance. I was a skinny guy with a funny name.”

Of course there’s an obvious reason why this quote speaks to me. However, he went on to use the rest of the speech to say: who cares! Labels, stereotypes, and the way people view us in general are all subjective. People are entitled to feel however the hell they want about you. The President's speech serves as a reminder to me that opinions only matter as much as you let them.

It doesn’t matter who people think you are or expect you to be – be yourself. Your values will show through your personal brand and will trump the more tangible, but less meaningful attributes associated with you. People will continue to label you in person or behind your back; there’s nothing you can do about that. But you can shed light on the intangible characteristics that make you unique, giving the people who actually care to know you a fair shot at doing so.

Through my examples, you can see that we encourage each other to be cultured and diverse... just not too cultured and diverse. It's not a fair judgment of character to compare each other using such predetermined, one size fits all standards. There are no prerequisites to being yourself. You don’t lose your “Black card” for doing things that don't fit the Black stereotypes. And just because somebody labels you a certain way doesn't mean there's any truth to it.

Personally, I'm perfectly comfortable with who I am. I realize that being named Alfred doesn't make me any less of an African, or any more of an American. Labeling is ingrained in our culture, and even though it’s unnecessary and even damaging at times, I "charge it to the game" and encourage you to do the same. It's a part of society I’ve learned to live with; there's always a bigger picture.

Here’s my plea. Since we have to use labeling, lets at least get it right!

If you feel the need to label me as the token Black guy in the office, then feel free to mention my work ethic and willingness to take on challenging projects outside of my job description. Feel free to mention some of the great books I’ve told you I read like Between the World and Me or Homegoing. Feel free to even mention my passion for cooking and taking care of my body. Feel free to give me a complete label.

Clearly we can't expect to know all, or sometimes any, of the qualitative traits for the people we encounter. However, it's a much better practice to make the effort to learn about each other, than it is to make baseless presumptions. Labeling can have all types of effects in interpersonal relations as I hope I’ve convinced you. We should all be more conscious of how we use labels, and eventually gain the courage to avoid them altogether.

Alfred Out.

-photo via ABC News