Labels in school?, Annoying or Accurate? Options

[XRosesXAreXBlack...]

First, my apologies if this subject is already being dicussed somewhere on the forum.Honestly, I really didn't feel like looking through 33 pages just to find one topic. =/

Anways, I'm fifteen and I today was the last day of my freshman year in high school.One main thing I've noticed throughout the year was the number of cliques and groups that were mainly baised on the way people dressed and looked.

Personally, I find high school labels (ex. Goth, Emo, Prep, Jock, Stoner, Geek...etc.) are just really annnoying.

I understand that it's natural to kind of stereotype a person when you first meet them, but it bothers me when people use labels to judge people and decide whether or not they want to be friends.

I mean, you could be a "prep" who meets a "goth kid" and you could say "Oh, they're creepy and wear black.They worship Satan so I refuse to talk to them."
It bothers me that people label like that, especially since most of the stereotypes are completely ridiculous!

I feel like I've ranted enough for now.What does everyone else think?

[dustbunny]

sometimes labels can be accurate..suprisingly...but anyways all i ever do is look at people's shoes. trust me, you can tell a LOT about a person just by looking at their shoes. i guess i evaluate them?

and besides, if you tried to label me you would be really confused...i'd be like nerdy band geek who dresses preppy yet sometimes wears ghetto shoes [cos i like nikes =P] who slacks off in school but get good grades yet sleeps at 3 am regularly everyday who pwns the animals regular room in isketch and is on a swim team.

point of story: labels and shoe evaluating really aren't the same as actually getting to know people. ya?

[*MyMichelle*]

Stereotypes are only derived from truth.

Sure, it's not wise to let them take up 100% of your judgement, but they're still helpful sometimes.

I, personally, do not care what labels people have or choose to create for themselves. I don't really see as much "stereotypical" labeling as you mentioned, so I guess it's harder for me to be irritated with it or w/e.

[cori-catastrophe]

Stereotypes are only derived from truth.

Sure, it's not wise to let them take up 100% of your judgement, but they're still helpful sometimes.

I, personally, do not care what labels people have or choose to create for themselves. I don't really see as much "stereotypical" labeling as you mentioned, so I guess it's harder for me to be irritated with it or w/e.

agreed. it's human nature, and most of the time they are actually accurate. i could care less, though.

[tilanguyenar]

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[XRosesXAreXBlack...]

I understand that labels do have some truth to them, but I don't like it when people use labels to judge how a person is going to act.Like, you can't know everything about a person just by looking at them.

And I do realize that it's human nature to guess and make minor judegments as to what a person is like...I just don't like how everything in high schools is divided into cliques.

I don't think anyone can just fit under one label, it just doesn't work that way... =/

[USCavalry]

labels get in the way of really getting to know people, thus i hate them too.

people join different cliques for several reasons imo, some being:
1) because they dress like that group
2) because their culture is similar to that group (language, religion, customs, etc)
3) because the kids in that clique are popular
4) because they like the kids within the clique

i'd say a lot of people don't try to be in any clique but just end up in one based on who they are, because that's kinda why/how cliques come about i'm guessing

[*steve330*]

Stereotypes I find categorize the interests of the people, not necessarily the people. You have to watch the individual to get your opinion of them.

[stormbringer]

stereotypes are helpful to me because it shows peoples ideals.. such as if people are emo-gothic it shows me that they think that the world treats them badly. I'm not saying that the person is bad, such as a person I know acts really emo in school, but when we go to piano, he acts ok.. normal I guess you could say.

[XRosesXAreXBlack...]

Stormrbringer, I completely disagree with that first sentence. =/ Honestly, 90% of the people I come across label me as "emo", but I can say I'm one of the happiest people I know.I don't think the world "treats me badly".I'm not saying this applies to all people that are "emo" but the fact that you made that assumption is exactly the point I was trying to make.

Just because you're "emo", it doesn't mean you're depressed.Just like...Just because you're a "prep", that doesn't make you a whore.

I just hate when people judge others.

[cori-catastrophe]

Stormrbringer, I completely disagree with that first sentence. =/ Honestly, 90% of the people I come across label me as "emo", but I can say I'm one of the happiest people I know.I don't think the world "treats me badly".I'm not saying this applies to all people that are "emo" but the fact that you made that assumption is exactly the point I was trying to make.

Just because you're "emo", it doesn't mean you're depressed.Just like...Just because you're a "prep", that doesn't make you a whore.

I just hate when people judge others.

but you see, labels don't actually exist. they are in people's imagination. how are you to judge if you think someone is "emo" or anything else for that matter. honestly, what makes them different from other people? we're all human. being considered a "whore" is only but another steriotype. at least, ninety-nine percent of the time. people just call people other things for drama.

[Simba]

Sure, it's not wise to let them take up 100% of your judgement, but they're still helpful sometimes.

Yeah, they're meant to help, but not absolutely define anyone.

Just because you're "emo", it doesn't mean you're depressed.Just like...Just because you're a "prep", that doesn't make you a whore.

Sure. It just means you probably are.

[Gigi]

As much as I hate to admit it, labels are more accurate for me than they are annoying. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and stereotype, and I'm very much aware of that, but it's still helpful to utilise a few of them.

It's not that I think certain groups of people are "bad" people - I sincerely believe in good people that do bad things and make bad decisions. The only reason I would put a label on someone is to prevent myself from getting close to people that make bad decisions. They might be good people, but I would never want to turn out like them. So, really, I only distance myself from the stoners, smokers, druggies, skippers and 'gangstas'.

[concreteangel]

IMO
I think that they are annoying and ridiculous.

[Simba]

People always think of "labels" so negatively. They can actually be helpful as well, like if you're buying gifts with someone you're not too close with or something.

For example, if they go along with "goth" you would know you'd probably be on the right track if you bought them something dark rather than yellow or sky blue.

If they were "preppy" you probably wouldn't go wrong with some Hollister or what not.

If they're "fobby", you'll know they don't need another rice cooker.

[laxumaster8]

personally i hate labels...

[lkajsfklajskds]

i hate labels and i hate stereotyping.
we actually dont have that in our school, though people try to enforce them just so the school could be like the school in mean girls or something. but we have problems with or without labels.

i hate labels and i hate stereotyping.
we actually dont have that in our school, though people try to enforce them just so the school could be like the school in mean girls or something. but we have problems with or without labels.

People always think of "labels" so negatively. They can actually be helpful as well, like if you're buying gifts with someone you're not too close with or something.

For example, if they go along with "goth" you would know you'd probably be on the right track if you bought them something dark rather than yellow or sky blue.

If they were "preppy" you probably wouldn't go wrong with some Hollister or what not.

If they're "fobby", you'll know they don't need another rice cooker.

thats true, but in this generation mixed with this society every thing is mixing. races, religon EVERYTHING. so somebody could be a fob and preppy. and what if they're preppy but their favorite color is black? i wore black nail polish to school and people started calling me emo, even when they knew i wasnt. thats doesnt make sense because being emo is basically how you feel. if you hate everything and cut yourself wouldnt you fit the description of emo. but what if your favorite color isnt black? or you dont always wear black??

First, my apologies if this subject is already being dicussed somewhere on the forum.Honestly, I really didn't feel like looking through 33 pages just to find one topic. =/

Anways, I'm fifteen and I today was the last day of my freshman year in high school.One main thing I've noticed throughout the year was the number of cliques and groups that were mainly baised on the way people dressed and looked.

Personally, I find high school labels (ex. Goth, Emo, Prep, Jock, Stoner, Geek...etc.) are just really annnoying.

I understand that it's natural to kind of stereotype a person when you first meet them, but it bothers me when people use labels to judge people and decide whether or not they want to be friends.

I mean, you could be a "prep" who meets a "goth kid" and you could say "Oh, they're creepy and wear black.They worship Satan so I refuse to talk to them."
It bothers me that people label like that, especially since most of the stereotypes are completely ridiculous!

I feel like I've ranted enough for now.What does everyone else think?

i completely agree

Reason for edit: Posts Merged. Please try to not double post, but edit your existing post instead. :]

[HakunaMatata]

thats true, but in this generation mixed with this society every thing is mixing. races, religon EVERYTHING. so somebody could be a fob and preppy. and what if they're preppy but their favorite color is black? i wore black nail polish to school and people started calling me emo, even when they knew i wasnt. thats doesnt make sense because being emo is basically how you feel. if you hate everything and cut yourself wouldnt you fit the description of emo. but what if your favorite color isnt black? or you dont always wear black??

It is totally possible to be preppy and have your favorite color be black. It's totally possible to 'feel emo' and practically live at Hollister. The purpose of labels isn't to contain people in boxes, they're to make general descriptions that are usually, but obviously not always, true.

[lkajsfklajskds]

It is totally possible to be preppy and have your favorite color be black. It's totally possible to 'feel emo' and practically live at Hollister. The purpose of labels isn't to contain people in boxes, they're to make general descriptions that are usually, but obviously not always, true.

how are you so sure thats what labels were used for in the beginning? yea, they are fairly accurate, but people judge before they know anything and thats why labels are a sort of issue.

[Simba]

how are you so sure thats what labels were used for in the beginning? yea, they are fairly accurate, but people judge before they know anything and thats why labels are a sort of issue.

What else are they supposed to go off of?

[Simba]

Suzzette bringin' the real talk.

You can't get to know everybody.

[cori-catastrophe]

Real talk, everyone in this thread labels people. You look at what they are wearing/what they look like and try to fit them into a category so you can better understand them.

I've had people drive by me and start blasting rap music, or come up to me like "YO YO YOOOO WASSUPPPPPPPPPPPPP DAWGGGGG" when they didn't know anything about me. It's just human nature.

Now if you are a decent person, you can try to get to know that person and eventually look past that. But don't pretend like you don't do it..

yupp. i'll say this as an example.
some random chick at school is trying to make friends with what she steriotypes as the "emo" people. if she wants to fit in with those type of people, do you think that she's going to start acting friendly with the people that shop at hollister and love pink or the people who sign their names with numbers beside them to represent that they're jocks. i don't think so either. it's what she sees in them. they basically make their very own steriotype by what they choose to wear, act like, & who they hang around with. they know that people are going to judge them based on that.

[xKatt]

Stereotypes are only derived from truth.

Sure, it's not wise to let them take up 100% of your judgement, but they're still helpful sometimes.

I, personally, do not care what labels people have or choose to create for themselves. I don't really see as much "stereotypical" labeling as you mentioned, so I guess it's harder for me to be irritated with it or w/e.

Agreed.


I personally don't like or dislike labels. They just exist, and there's really no use denying their existence.

Sometimes several defining traits of a label could be defining traits of a person. Then again, they could not. I don't like it when people are judgemental, but I honestly can't say that because I'm judgemental as well.

Going beyond labeling in school to make a point (sorry)...

Think of it this way; you're at the mall and you want to ask someone to use their phone. Are you going to ask a nice-looking middle-aged woman or a 6'3 biker in a leather studded jacket? You'd probably think the woman would be a likelier candidate to let you borrow their cellphone. You could be right from your judgements. Or you could be wrong ("GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU NASTY TEENAGER!").

Believe me, I used to judge people so quickly and I've been proven wrong more often than not. It comes with maturity to go beyond labels.

[Simba]

I personally don't like or dislike labels. They just exist, and there's really no use denying their existence.

I think we have our winner.

"Labels" don't do ish. It's up to people to decide what to do with them. Kinda like guns.

[1angel3]

I don't like the steotypr thing, but if you saw me in person, you saw I in the hip hop group thing, but I hang out with all KINDS of people, goths ( love them), emo, stoners (mostly, their fun people), yea my point is very single body don't hang with only people like them based of steotype. I am living proof