I consider myself to be a pretty offbeat and unique individual. My collection of beliefs and attitude toward life is quite different then that of many that I run into or talk to about beliefs. Often I have received odd looks when I try to explain who or maybe what I am. This has even been an issue for myself when I try to actually figure out what I am myself.
This is where I run into a double edged sword. On one side I am not one that particularly likes placing labels on people. People who like to use labels tend to use them to discriminate against those that they label. However, on the other side, labels can be helpful to help you understand people without them having to be quite so forth coming about themselves.
An example of this is Buddhism. If you tell me you are a Buddhist I will instantly know enough to understand about your beliefs. Such as not inviting a Buddhist to go drinking as many I know do not drink or do so sparingly only at special social events.
Or if you are a vegetarian, I know better then to invite you to join me for a wing eating contest. These are typically common knowledge and respectful to your peers if you can understand these things.
My problem has become that I fall into so many categories I am everything and nothing all at once. Now I do not feel that I need to categorize myself as it is really just my personal beliefs, goals, and desires. However how to do you get this across to individuals that are trying to put you down because of these beliefs?
This happen to me in my previous job and was the cause of my job lose. I held to my personal and moral beliefs and wound up unemployed because they did not agree with my beliefs. Going to the point of trying to prove I was lying about my beliefs because of a label I had chosen to give myself, thanks allot Facebook, to simplify my explanation to people that ask.
Now as I am looking at going into the work force again as well as preparing to return to college I am seeing a need to find a label again. Well known labels fail to get across my system of beliefs and practices. I get asked quit often about my appearance and my beliefs as I am a very open person if asked. I however do not preach about my beliefs or belittle others for acting or believing different then me. I am very much to each there own.
Society as many of you know dose not see reality this way. Generally they believe that it is their job to make you see things their way and change and adapt to it. My generation tends to fall outside of society and suffer for it. In my current industry they try to surprise everything artistic in you and then expect you to produce art. How can someone be expected to be unique, creative, artistic if you strive to make them common amongst everyone else?
So I am trying to find a way to define what I am in such a way as to get it across to those that are closed minded and fail to understand those that are different then them. I do not think there is an existing label that defines me, but that a label my need to be created to define me and others like me. My final question, Is it worth my time and effort to develop a label to define myself and others like minded or do I let it be and keep fighting with it when it comes up?
