Who gets to determine the definition of common words and
ideas? The word “lie” can mean several different things. The same can be said
for “live”, “control”, “authority”, and hundreds of different words. Who or
what determines what definition is used, say, in a court of law, or in society
in general?
If you open a textbook, almost every word will have at least
two definitions. How are these definitions determined, and how do we know which
one applies to each individual scenario?
The idea behind naming someone or something derives from the
act of labeling- from the act of trying to fit something into a box, just to
make it easier to comprehend. It’s easier to think of someone who killed their
father as a murder, than actually delving into why he killed. Who knows, maybe it was self-defense, maybe it was
to protect someone. This doesn’t make the act any less wrong, but it should
have an impact on how we comprehend. The person will still be labeled a murderer,
no matter what the court decides. Is this fair? And who decides if it is or
not?
The human mind is an amazing thing, and can absorb more data
and information than we can even imagine. By labeling, we are limiting
ourselves to what someone else tells us to believe or think. The best way to
avoid this is having an “open-mind”, or at least don’t make judgements or
decisions without having every bit of information possible, and don’t let
someone convince you of something that doesn’t feel right.
H02
ReplyDeleteThere is one label I wish I used more: Valuable. With this label you recognize that someone is worth knowing, learning from, and treating well. I too often forget this.
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