"People in a Box"

[BDBoop]

Do you do this, or does it happen to you - are you aware of it. When people try to label their 'opposition' so they can then say "Oh, well; you are 'this', and that means you believe a, b, c and e and will 'd' to the death." It's part of why I won't discuss my faith in the Dear Atheist thread, or anywhere else, really. However, the fact that I have any was enough right there to get me labelled and treated accordingly.

Do you see Republicans and Democrats, and slap labels on them and treat them based on what you think you know about them? OR do you try to listen and understand, and find out who the person is behind the label?

It just feels like there is far too much reacting going on, and not anywhere near enough thinking.
eace

 

[Slartibartfast]

Do you do this, or does it happen to you - are you aware of it. When people try to label their 'opposition' so they can then say "Oh, well; you are 'this', and that means you believe a, b, c and e and will 'd' to the death." It's part of why I won't discuss my faith in the Dear Atheist thread, or anywhere else, really. However, the fact that I have any was enough right there to get me labelled and treated accordingly.

Do you see Republicans and Democrats, and slap labels on them and treat them based on what you think you know about them? OR do you try to listen and understand, and find out who the person is behind the label?

It just feels like there is far too much reacting going on, and not anywhere near enough thinking.
eace

I probably do, but I try to avoid it if I realize it.

 

[ReverendHellh0und]

There area few people I'd like to put in a box and dump into a river. impdaddy:

 

[BDBoop]

This board has been very helpful to me on that front. I see people behaving badly and I think geez, what a jerk! And then I talk to them on another subject and I think wow, exactly!

I probably do, but I try to avoid it if I realize it.

 

[Redress]

Do you do this, or does it happen to you - are you aware of it. When people try to label their 'opposition' so they can then say "Oh, well; you are 'this', and that means you believe a, b, c and e and will 'd' to the death." It's part of why I won't discuss my faith in the Dear Atheist thread, or anywhere else, really. However, the fact that I have any was enough right there to get me labelled and treated accordingly.

Do you see Republicans and Democrats, and slap labels on them and treat them based on what you think you know about them? OR do you try to listen and understand, and find out who the person is behind the label?

It just feels like there is far too much reacting going on, and not anywhere near enough thinking.
eace

It happens a ton, and for exactly the reason you mention. It is so much easier to argue against a stereotypical label than it is to argue against a presented argument.

 

[BDBoop]

I'm wondering if people would then say things to the label that they wouldn't say to a fellow human.

 

[Redress]

I'm wondering if people would then say things to the label that they wouldn't say to a fellow human.

Considering some of the things that people here day to fellow humans, I doubt it. Some here have few constraints on what they say to people.

 

[Tucker Case]

I think there are two ways this being placed "into a box" phenomenon can happen.

1. Stereotyping a person based on a single view they hold
2. Based on the fact that a lot of people debate using "canned" arguments and counter-arguments.


For me, only the n00biest of n00bs will try to stereotype me based on my position on a single topic. The people who've gotten to know me know that I don't fit into either partisan mold at all.

What I tend to face more often is people using canned arguments making the erroneous assumption that my arguments will be something they've encountered before and where their canned arguments will suffice.

But most of the logic and reasoning for my positions does not fall into the "standard" arguments, even if I have reached a similar conclusion.

Therefore, I end up dealing with quite a few strawman arguments posed in response to my arguments because in general the people who use "canned" arguments do not know how to deal with an unfamiliar rebuttal to their argument. It is easier for them to place my argument into a "box" that they are used to defending.

So I get "placed into a box" often enough during a debate, but usually it's not based on my lean or beliefs. It's because I'm weird as hell.

 

[MKULTRABOY]

Do you do this, or does it happen to you - are you aware of it. When people try to label their 'opposition' so they can then say "Oh, well; you are 'this', and that means you believe a, b, c and e and will 'd' to the death." It's part of why I won't discuss my faith in the Dear Atheist thread, or anywhere else, really. However, the fact that I have any was enough right there to get me labelled and treated accordingly.

Do you see Republicans and Democrats, and slap labels on them and treat them based on what you think you know about them? OR do you try to listen and understand, and find out who the person is behind the label?

It just feels like there is far too much reacting going on, and not anywhere near enough thinking.
eace

Glad you noticed, there are many threads going on with this right now.