[ExI] labels

[SR Ballard]

How can we attack a position without using a label (word) for it? Everything is labels, every noun is a label. 

Can you explain a position without using any labels? 

SR

> On Jan 15, 2021, at 3:57 PM, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> In clinical psychology, at least in my time, a therapist never applied a label to a client, and of course never revealed one to a client.  Problem:  they will try to live up to the label. To the therapist it becomes a stereotype and they will tend to see things that are not there.
> 
> Applying a label to something becomes a part of that something, like a person.  Label yourself politically, say right, and you will be attracted to right news and right people and so on. And become more right.
> 
> I have seen this in this group:  people asking themselves if they were still libertarian, since they have changed somewhat from years ago.  
> 
> People tend to want to be consistent - if not  = cognitive dissonance.  But parts of your beliefs slip away and are replaced by others not as similar to the whole as the gone ones.  So you may ask:  what am I now?  Do I need a new label?  I find myself agreeing sometimes with people who have different labels.  Am I coming apart at the seams?  
> 
> You noticed that I am a victim here.  Lately taking online tests, asking questions, finding a difference between left and Leftists.  Ambiguity increases:  I read 'left' in a post and wonder if they are talking about me or about Leftists.  Can we even talk without using labels?  Can we get away from the 'us and them' nature of labels?  Blaming something on the left raises my ire.  But I do not know exactly who they are blaming.  It would be much more helpful if the position attacked would be spelled out rather than a label used.  bill w
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