On labels and identities

“Labeling tends to create demarcation walls, separating one human from another just because we affiliate ourselves to this specific identity or that identity”

My name is a label, my family name is a label, my religion or faith is a label, my school is a label, my cultural background is a label, my nationality is a label, my ideology is a label, everything that defines me as a person, a someone, is a label. But how we can transcend those labels and realize the fundamental essence of ourselves, that we are all a part of humankind is of most importance. Because the problem is not in the idea of the label itself, but it is when we are so attached to that label or this label, our minds become clouded & our hearts become blinded towards all the things that we have in common, the fact that we are all human beings.

One example: My name is Riri. I’m proud to have gone to SMAK 1 BPK Penabur for my high school. For many years, it was hard for me to separate myself from this proud identity of being “anak BPK”. Regrettably, this idea of “me” has resulted in me to look down upon others that have gone to schools with more than 1 digit in their names, or awkwardly named schools that just don’t sound right in the ears such as SMA 1294. I always thought that this Riri, this “I”, is so much smarter than those who go to those schools. I discriminated them. I could not see them as human beings that are equal to me.

What I saw was only this “thing” that was lesser than me, that was below me, that was inferior to me. And that, is how my attachment towards labels have ruined my perception towards reality of humankind.

I know that it is rather difficult to separate ourselves from labels in this mundane world, but to let labels stop us from helping and loving each other, would result in nothing but a world filled with anger, hatred and fear.