Labeling (the name game)

          There is a tired debate that rears its ugly little head every once in a while more so as of late however. That debate revolves around labels. By labels I'm referring to how we as kin whether vampire or other wish to be referred as. What started out as an honest discussion concerning our identity as a community has vastly turned into a yard stick of measurement in who does and does not qualify as the excepted term in use, as in who is qualified to call themselves a real vampire and who is not. Now those who have read my previous writings in regards to this subject, know full well my opinions concerning it. I believe it is a useless hypocrisy and extremely counter productive practice. Useless hypocrisy as in how can we claim that all awakenings are different and then claim only those who underwent a specific one qualifies as a vampire. Counter productive as in it defeats the dominant desire to unite the community.

           We go through our day lives facing labels on an almost constant basis. Terms such as goth, emo, head banger, biker, and countless others are but a few used to label members of society. And yet we can't seem to stop ourselves from pointing our fingers and proclaiming someone else something that is acceptable to us as a collective. Now within our world, I will admit to a certain need for labels but only for the purpose of identifying with others of our kind. I however draw the line when the choice of the individual is taken away. In other words, shouldn't it be the individuals right to decide where they fit in to the community? Doesn't this seem a logical conclusion to an illogical debate? Of course it does, which is exactly why it would fail.

           It would fail because it requires someone to deflate their ego, to relinquish self importance. Now there are those who would gladly do this if it were for the betterment of the community both on line and off. But then there are those that relish the power they have inherited either through dominance or vote. It is these individuals who fail to realize it was their abilities and not personalities that gained them their positions. Some of these folks even go so far as to claim labels, such as Elder, Reverend, Lord etc... and do so without recognizing the divine which is part of those expectations. It is because of the very human ego that simply allowing the individual to find their place will fail in its application. The sad thing is that it really wouldn't take much of an effort to do, since a majority of those claiming those titles are decent and caring in their approach to dealing with those seeking their way through this existence.

           So are labels important? To a certain degree, yes. But should they be used to divide and identify? Only by the individual searching for their place in our world. We spend so much time trying to find ourselves when we awaken. So many tears from the shunning of family and friends. So much heart ache from the relationships lost. We endure so much merely trying to fit in to where we know in our hearts we belong. So much so that playing the name game is becoming nothing more than an obstacle on that path. So if you feel the need to label, then ask what label that person wishes not on what you perceive them to be. For at some point in your past you made a choice, it's only fitting that the same courtesy be passed on as well.