A Manageable World

It seems in society you have to pick sides to play the game. To be non tribal is difficult for the social primate.

And if you don't pick sides in this game of life you end up with little resources and community to draw support from. We are social animals par excellence. There is a group in Washington DC trying to bridge the partisan divide and I appreciate their desire to be more pragamatic and less dogmatic however they still have to label themselves. Their label is "No Labels". So there is the irony even when you are "no labels" you are condemned to be labeled by necessity. The limits of language and the necessity of labels is part of the human drama. I think a tragic and unfortunate part at times when you consider the impact of playing the tribal game has had on our species. To move nations you must give people a uniform and a target even if it is just in the language game.

"Once you label me you negate me." - Kierkegaard

 

I think that happens alot with partisanship and tribalism in politics and religion. Labels are necessary but they can be used to simplify a complex reality and simplify people different from you. The narcissism of small difference.  

 

"man cuts out for himself a manageable world" - Ernest Becker