Chevy Chase - Image by "Cowboy" Ben Alman via Flickr
They all mean the same thing: Label.
(But aren’t those cool words? Cognomen. Sobriquet. I could be a real word snob. Why don’t we use more words like these?)
There is a classic Saturday Night Live
bit where Chevy Chase will mutter insults under his breath while talking with or about someone else.
“I would like to introduce you to the honorable (jerk) Mayor (crook) of our fair city.”
In another take off of Point/Counterpoint, a quick, debate style, exchange, modeled after a segment on 60 Minutes
“Jane, you insufferable bitch, it’s obvious you haven’t left the laundry room long enough to get the lint from your ears…”
“Jack, you pompous, self-important prick. If you would just use the head on top of your body you would…”
How many times over the past few months have we heard conservative this and liberal that. We hear about gas-guzzling SUVs, billionaire businessmen, and so-called recovery plans. All labels, and used to create “spin.” That’s why they are used. It’s pre-loading a sentence with how a presenter thinks we ought to think about an issue.
We can harness this label power for ourselves.
A dog is just a dog, but a bulldog, creates a different picture than a chihuahua and different still is a greyhound.
No two plumbers are alike, but there is a universal image of a plumber that you can use to your advantage. In Texas we have Aggie jokes, other parts of the country may have hayseeds, hill-billys, or rubes. Every attorney I know personally is a great individual, but that doesn’t alter a universal image of attorneys as immoral, loop-hole finding, greedy SOBs.
Sometimes we want to draw out a description and really fill our audience in on the details. It may be that a person is an immoral, loop-hole finding, greedy SOB, but for the purpose of the particular story, it works best for them not to be an attorney and to spend extra time on the description.
Other times, it pays to use a label. It may be for a minor character, or for a throwaway, “build” laugh. You want just enough description to make the gag work, but not enough to draw attention from the main point.
Or it may be that you believe brevity is the soul of wit
Keep track of how many labels you use each day, of how many you hear on TV or radio, of how many you read. It may surprise you.
Yep that subscribe button is still there up to your right on the page, and it’s still free. There is almost limitless room for comments below. Both are appreciated.
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on Jan 28th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I just stopped by your blog and thought I would say hello. I like your site design. Looking forward to reading more down the road.
on Jan 28th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Labeling starts early in life. Children are put in groups in kindergarten and in elementary school. Perhaps they are labeled as “A” students or “B” students; maybe they are green team members or blue team members; slow learner, fast learner; quiet and shy, rambunctious and trouble-maker. Typically, these labels are put on permanent records and follow them throughout their school careers.
Yes, it’s in politics but also in all of life – unfortunately.
on Jan 28th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Sherry,
Thanks very much for your comment.
Dealing with the deep sociological issues of the world is beyond the scope of this blog.
But I would guess that as many kids as are actually harmed by a poor label would just about equal the number of kids who benefit by having a better label.
And as in most things, the 80 per cent of kids in the middle, don’t notice they have a label, don’t care what it is, and it probably makes absolutely no difference in their lives.
Then we could, if we wished, get into the area of whose label do we pay attention to? Our parents label? Our school label? Or more precisely, our English teacher’s label, or our Math teacher’s lablel? Perhaps it would be the label that our manager at the Burger Hut puts on us? Grandparents are always good for a label or two, (I was Punkin) Church can label us. The media can label us, police can label us, strangers label us based upon what we wear.
Car salespeople label us when we walk in the dealership, flight attendants label us when we get on the plane.
All this labeling is without question, unfair. But it appears to be a leftover, hard-wired, survival strategy that we are cursed with.
My choice is to use it as a basis for humor. Because once someone laughs at a label, its absurdity can start to show through.
Well this comment was much too long!
I suppose I get the long-winded label today!
on Jan 28th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I was thinking about starting a campaign…all surrounded by a t-shirt I used to have.
It said: Labels are for jars. You are not a jar.
The sad thing is, I always had to explain what it meant to people.
But maybe I could get it to catch on in a WWJD fashion, lol.
on Jan 29th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Chelle,
How about WWDD (What Would Dymo Do?)
on Jan 29th, 2009 at 9:54 am
That post was really deep! I never thought about things that way before. I will be more careful with my labels, unless handling jars in which case I will label indiscriminately.
Anyway I think you are pretty insightful If I link to your blog on my blog is there any way you could return the favor? I think we could both get more exposure!
Check it out: Http://scottstipoftheday.blogspot.com
on Feb 6th, 2009 at 4:37 am
We are not going to get away from labels. We just have to be fairly funny when using them. Like the little short round guy with 7 rolls of fat in his neck.
on Feb 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
This is some funny stuff, enjoyed the read and the laugh, will be back!!
on Feb 11th, 2009 at 7:45 am
But darlin, you, as well as I, use labels. Does HUMORBLOGGER ring a bell? Without labels, I wouldn’t be known as a CRACKPOT because I’m in the process of learning as much as I can about the IDIOTS who resort to shortening history down to 6,000 years so it will better fit the bible. Or the FREAK down the street who can’t keep his pants zipped around kids. Or the other BLOGGERS who live in my nonexistent close FAMILY of the internet.
Gee. I just found out I’m a ZEALOT who is a COMMENT WRITER on your MAGNIFICENT blog. (with a big smile on my face)
on Mar 8th, 2009 at 1:43 am
lol. Can I use that picture for my site?
on Mar 8th, 2009 at 1:45 am
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
on Mar 10th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
normally i do not take the time to make posts but nice site you have here!
on May 18th, 2009 at 10:01 am
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.