The Underestimated Power of Labels

 

Members of a democratic community like America prefer to think of themselves as well-informed about political and governmental policy matters.  But most are not.

Polling constantly shows that large segments of the US. Population are ignorant of the most basic facts of our national government such as the role of the Supreme Court or the number of Senators each state has.  And few keep up with developments in national affairs.  Nonetheless, Americans do have opinions about such matters, ill-informed though they may be.

These observations are not meant to be condemnations of our countrymen, although James Madison, et. al., had high expectations that a self-governing populace would take its role seriously in the formation of opinion on public policy.  It was assumed that contemplation would precede formation.  The present-day reality, of course, is contrary.  Most people are too busy, life is too complicated and full of too many competing elements that did not exist in the 18^th century.

Instead, most Americans today form opinions based on short-cuts.  What is the story’s headline or the internet sites “trending” summary?  Do you like the labels or not?

Those who attach labels to opinions, ideas or organizations, if they are astute, know precisely what they are about.  People are attracted to appealing words and look no further.

The label determines the opinion.

Consider:

          Are you pro-life or pro-choice?  Certainly, the terms both resonate on a superficial basis.  But, of course, behind each label, controversy abounds. But, the relative appeal of each shapes the opinion held.

           How about the Biden Administration’s campaign for massive infrastructure spending?  Unobjectionable on its face:  repairs to roads and bridges come readily to mind.  Yet the pleasing label has been affixed to a variety of social spending measures as well – such as pre-school funding.

           Are you a “progressive”?  To be sure.  Does anyone but Neanderthals (to use the President’s negative label) disagree?  Yet who understands that the political labels is applied to left-wing policy proponents?

 

[It is lamentable that many pundits on the Right use the same term when referring to their left-wing foes.  I recognize that they don’t use the label as an endorsement but why use the superficially positive self-identification language of the other side.]

One can say that people should look beyond labels.  Sorry, hope is not reality.  And few do.  That is why labeling is so very important to the formation of public opinion.

Alas, the Left has proven to be more generally more adept at this than their opposition.