2024-08-24 update

Opening myself to experiences is obviating labels.

I used to label myself someone who didn't like parties or going out. The past few months proved me wrong, but I don't now call myself an enthusiast.

This is a trivial lack of nuance. Obviously, on some nights, depending on a thousand factors, I want to go out. On other nights, I don't. Many nights, I could go either way.

But I used the label, "not my thing", to prescribe, not just describe, behavior.

Of course I'm not going out; that's not my thing.

A prophecy I wrote and helped fulfill.

Going out to bars isn't the most existential example, but it did kickstart lots of thinking. I don't call myself much of anything anymore. I try to say true things instead.

It's hard to decide whether "I am a climber". It's simpler and more true to say "I've been climbing a few times a week recently, and I've climbed fairly consistently in gyms for years now". That doesn't roll off the tongue, so we wrap it all up in "climber". But your definition isn't mine, and we usually don't seek consensus.

Another low stakes example. But what about gender? Sexuality? Is there more public consensus about the definition of "climber", or about the definition of "man"? We give names undue authority. They serve us well but falter under heavy loads.

Our vocabularies attempt to circumscribe the world. Sometimes a word tries to take too much of the world within itself. Contemplate, and break it back down.

I find it exhausting and liberating to think this way.