Labels are great.
They can take what’s complicated & simplify it. They can create community (any other mothers of teens out there? any other Canadians living in Kenya?). They can be shortcuts that bring ease. They can define & delineate. Like assessments. Like Life Lensesâ„¢.
Labels can also be dangerous.
They can bring shortcuts that create lazy, sloppy thinking. They can take what’s complicated & make it simplistic. They can create divisiveness. They can create rigid boxes that are impossible to get out of (fill in the blank: all _____ are bad drivers, or all _____ are good dancers). They can create walls where windows should be. Like some assessments (hopefully not Life Lensesâ„¢!).
Here’s to labels that are helpful & illuminating.
