Do you have an issue with being labeled?

[Progster]

I don't have a problem with being labeled (or described), what I have problem with is being judged.

 

[pamelaperejil]

I don't have a problem with being labeled (or described), what I have problem with is being judged.

Aren't they the same?

 

[Progster]

Aren't they the same?

No. A label is really just a way of describing someone. You can label, or describe someone without judging them. I don't mind having the label "Aspergers" because, to me, it's just the diagnosis I've been given, but when people attach prejudice and stereotyping to that, then it becomes a problem.

 

[pamelaperejil]

No. A label is really just a way of describing someone. You can label, or describe someone without judging them. I don't mind having the label "Aspergers" because, to me, it's just the diagnosis I've been given, but when people attach prejudice and stereotyping to that, then it's a problem.

I agree that assigning value judgments to labels can cause problems, especially when the person shuts the door to any correction/revision of their value judgement.

But I still believe that to label is to judge, at least in the sense of thinking or forming an opinion about something. In order to say that such-and-such (or so-and-so) is this/that/the other, it's first necessary to decide that it (they) are not something else. This appraising and forming an opinion about something is called judging. In this sense, thinking/believing/judging are synonymous.

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

Echoing a sentiment already expressed here, being labelled is an unavoidable consequence of existing within the human experience. As humans (which is a label) we have a need to label everything we experience. This is the way in which people understand the universe. To try to think about it in a different way would lead to unintelligible thoughts which can't be expressed to another person. Each label will have a series of sub-labels, which in theory, will become more precise descriptions.

For example autism is to mental disorder as asperger's is to autism and so on.

When making labels assumptions are used and mistakes are made. Humans are not the best at understanding a methodological approach to digesting information. Most will incorporate a poorly defined label into their poorly defined belief structure and consider that knowledge.

 

[Gracey]

...But I still believe that to label is to judge ....

Would you consider judgement to be the same as classification?

Attaching labels in order to understand what something is and where it belongs, what it does ?

Defining a difference between ..?... something?

Shark, big cat, bird of prey? All predatory and meat eating, but different.

Am I making a judgement in order to understand what it is, what is does and where it fits ?

NT, ASD, ape?

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

Classification certainly does involve judgement.

For example many people would like to see humans and apes as distinct classifications..........evolutionary theory disagrees.

 

[Tom]

I'm more concerned about the 'Discard After' date.

 

[Nervous Rex]

I'm more concerned about the 'Discard After' date.

Check your birth certificate. If it doesn't have an expiration date, you're good.

 

[GrownupGirl]

I absolutely LOATHE the functioning labels. But other autistic people use them all the time, and I'm sick to death of telling them over and over why they shouldn't.

 

[the_tortoise]

Okay, then I would say that you don't necessarily have to have words as part of your labels, there are physical labels out there that are just pictures.

You don't need labels at all to have deep understanding of things...I don't know how to explain what I mean because I don't know how you think, but I can say with certainty (based on how I think) that you don't need any kind of reference symbol. Whether verbal or pictorial, labels are just reference symbols.... you don't need to have the reference symbol to have all the thoughts and knowledge such a symbol may refer to.

It's possible to have miscommunication between two people, yes. Again, if you insist on using words and having two different people using two different definitions for those words there will of course be a problem. Again, your problem is not with people labelling, it's with people labelling incorrectly.

I agree.

 

[pamelaperejil]

Would you consider judgement to be the same as classification?

Attaching labels in order to understand what something is and where it belongs, what it does ?

Defining a difference between ..?... something?

Shark, big cat, bird of prey? All predatory and meat eating, but different.

Am I making a judgement in order to understand what it is, what is does and where it fits ?

NT, ASD, ape?

I think the word "judgement" can be understood in different senses. Judgement, in one sense, can mean: to assign comparative value to something (i.e. when "high functioning autism" is used to mean "better than" or "better off than" someone else). But the word judgement can also mean to decide, understand, to approximate or make an educated guess about something.

I guess what I'm saying is that "judging" someone doesn't always mean assigning a value or rank to someone, which I think what some people are objecting to.

 

[On the Inside]

I have been labelled for my haircut, I have been labelled for my lack of a haircut, i have been labelled for the food i eat, the car i drive, etc.

For the most part I feel it helps people to remember "who that guy is" and is not judgemental in a negative way. More of a mental tool or file that keeps things organized .

As far as being on the spectrum, i don't tell anybody as i am " high functioning" enough to get by in the NT world for the most part, until someone gets to know me. So far, since getting a diagnosis as an adult several years ago, i've only labelled myself to some family members, a couple of friends and one ex-supervisor. I felt they, and I, deserved an explanation of why I am like I am, why I do (or don't do) those baffling things.

I am sorry for those of us who have been labelled ( judged) unfairly. I hope greater understanding will help us get beyond the judgemental labelling.

 

[Mr Allen]

Back when I was first diagnosed, and it was announced to the world online that I'm Aspie, I was labelled "retarded" and stuff I can't even repeat it was so bad.

Why do morons do this? Especially (and I know what I am about to say will ruffle feathers) Americans online hence my disdain for interacting with North Americans and taking the piss out of Canadians for the fact some of them talk funny

 

[the_tortoise]

Back when I was first diagnosed, and it was announced to the world online that I'm Aspie, I was labelled "retarded" and stuff I can't even repeat it was so bad.

Why do morons do this? Especially (and I know what I am about to say will ruffle feathers) Americans online hence my disdain for interacting with North Americans and taking the piss out of Canadians for the fact some of them talk funny

I don't know why people are mean, either. I suppose every person who is unkind or cruel to others has their own reasons. I do know there are mean people everywhere, though.

 

[Larsieanne]

The most good I can say about my label is that it caused me to go to WrongPlanet, meet my now-ex, and have a baby with him, my little boy (who is still with him unfortunately). My son is the only thing about my label that I do not regret. Otherwise, the label got me no help and a lot of discrimination, suffering, bullying, prejudice, snide remarks, stereotyping, and condescension from other people. I'd 100% regret it if it weren't for my son.

 

[BraidedPony]

I haven’t told anyone yet, but I’m sure I have “labels” given to me all the time.
The weird old lady with the dog
The woman that always wears sweat pants
That klutzy woman that is always dropping her purse
The woman that wont ever answer the doorbell
The old lady that takes her iPad everywhere
I don’t know, i guess i dont want to tell people I’m an Aspie because they wont know what it means anyway. Heck, I’m not sure i even know half the time! You mean it isnt normal to watch the same movies over and over?

 

[Horsegirl]

I have the opposite issue.
People underestimate me.

 

[Mary Anne]

Back when I was first diagnosed, and it was announced to the world online that I'm Aspie, I was labelled "retarded" and stuff I can't even repeat it was so bad.

Why do morons do this? Especially (and I know what I am about to say will ruffle feathers) Americans online hence my disdain for interacting with North Americans and taking the piss out of Canadians for the fact some of them talk funny

You hate us North Americans? Why? I thought you and I communicate just fine.

 

[Mr Allen]

You hate us North Americans? Why? I thought you and I communicate just fine.

We do, it's nothing personal, I don't hate ALL Americans, just most of the ones I've interacted with on various forums.

A lot of them are...thick