On the other hand, Matthew and I talk about temperaments and personality rather than gender. He's read many of the same books as I have, lived overlapping experiences, ascribes to similar theories. We talk about Personality Plus, which was a seminal book for me. For the first time I experienced a framework in which I was not schizophrenic or insane, merely...multifaceted. More importantly, that same paradigm revealed that certain friends and clients aren't lazy or ditzy or arrogant or overbearing, just inclined to different temperaments. Wow. Talk about a powerful tool.
There is always the argument in classification: on the one hand labeling is dangerously restrictive, imposing structure and meaning where perhaps none exists. On the other hand, what is language itself but a body of labels which allows us to earmark objects and experiences for recognition as well as further interaction and reflection?
Double edged sword--no sabre, this. There's a flip side to every coin. No joy without anguish. No revelation without suffering. No liberation without submission--even in language. As Tink is so fond of saying, it all comes down to the choice. You can choose to use classification to liberate, or to enslave. I choose liberation!
I blew off a fourth of July party to work towards my upcoming trip. Band-aids on blisters, I'm outta here!
Happy Independence Day!
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