One thing I love about writing ByChanceBuddhism is that I am constantly inspired by readers and their comments. My last post (also inspired by a reader's comment) was about the tendency for many of us to define ourselves with labels, sometimes with unfortunate results, i.e. relationships/perceptions based on assumptions and superficiality. In his response to this post, one reader summed it all up in an eloquent metaphor about a mango tree. As a botanist, I must say that this comparison hit a special chord with me, so I am excited to share it with you!
The comment went something like this:
". . . For example, when I go to the park, I look at a mango tree and I know it is a mango tree because I love to eat mangos. But that's about it. In truth, I don't know anything about the tree that produces the mango, but I know and understand only the fruit. But since I know this tree produces mango and I know its name, I assume I know everything. The label "mango tree" stops me from understanding and knowing the tree.
The tree is a totally different story, for it has a life force of its own. Deep within, the tree radiates life that if we were to sit or meditate under it, then we can feel its pulse. The tree is alive, so why do we not enjoy its presence, but instead choose to stop at the word "mango tree"?"
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So indeed, why do/should we stop at the words Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, agnostic, conservative, liberal when considering another human being? Although some labels can be useful, we must be careful in attaching them to ourselves, and distinguish the label from the human being as we try to relate to others.
The comment above was from xenusfreeman from over at www.powerfulintentions.org Please check out his page here. With that, I will leave you to ponder the "life force" behind the words "mango tree" with these pics that I took years ago in Florida :)
I hope you've enjoyed this post and pics! As always, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
May all beings be happy!
I think what you're saying is VERY true. I'll even go as far to say that we label ourselves WAY too much.....when people ask me anything the first think I say is I'm a mom...is that my whole identity?? no lol I'm many other things....human, female, wife, buddhist......I also agree that the most important thing to remember to not get too caught up in labels. We are all interconnect :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, quietmind279, for your insightful comment. Yup, this is exactly what I was trying to convey in the last two posts- just taking a step back and watching, it is clear how often people (including yours truly) label themselves. Becoming more mindful of this fact, I have started to notice when (and how soon upon being introduced) people do so, and how it affects people's attitudes. I think sometimes that in this fast-paced world, we sometimes feel pressured to explain ourselves to others, instead of just letting them learn about us at their own pace. Like I said, becoming more mindful of labels (and, except for nationality and occupation, using them less when referring to myself) has enriched my interactions with others, which I also hope I can improve even more in the future.
DeleteThanks again, have a great day!
Great post! Interestingly, one of the first things that people are interested to know is somebody's occupation. This happens so often right away. "what do you do?". Of course everybody knows this means what kind of work. This interchange already limits the concepts of someone. If someone knows someone else is a teacher, house cleaner, astrophysicist, bus driver, CEO of a company, stay at home mom, or construction worker, it drastically changes how the conversation goes. If we refuse to say our conversation, we are thought of as extremely rude!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Dan, for your comment. Well, like I said, some labels are very useful. I gave nationality as an example in my last post, but I think occupation would also fall into that category (I am certainly not suggesting that people withhold their occupation!). These recent posts about 'labels' are more about people labeling themselves with more ambiguous words, simply because different people have different ideas about what a 'Buddhist', 'atheist', or 'liberal' is. As you said before, this can be a problem, and sometimes cause misunderstandings about an individual or group. I think using labels mindfully, especially when referring to oneself, can help prevent a lot of these misunderstandings in the first place.
DeleteI meant to say, if we refuse to say our occupation. Also, if we refuse to divulge our job, people might think we are embarrassed by what we do or we are hiding some great dark secret.
ReplyDeleteOr we work for the CIA and are currently on a clandestine op as a double agent :)
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