Labels

In the very early days of schooling, I also had the illusion that I was a budding Raphael. As a mere start to higher achievements in Art, I showed my drawing to my school teacher and proudly awaited her gape-mouthed admiration.
"That is a very nice..mmm.. crow?", she said doubtfully.
"THAT was a cow, miss" I said indignantly. (Those were the days when the teacher was a miss no matter whether she was a Mrs or a Ms in real life)
"If only you had labeled it, I could have recognized it."
Later in life, I realized that this problem of labels is more acute when it comes to human beings. I mean, you cannot just look at a guy and identify if he is a banker, a lawyer, a doctor or a vagabond. (I certainly do not intend wandering into esoteric areas like his honesty, his courage, his capacity for affection and the like) Well, you could not but for the fact that we have invented labels for them so that we can conveniently identify the lot.
Pin-striped suits, ties and coats even in sweltering heat? Banker or top corporate honcho! White coat and stethoscope - doctor! A shapeless black gown - lawyer! Scruffy looks and oddly assorted clothes - Me..err...vagabond! Labels are so handy. Without them it would be tough to know who is who and behave accordingly.
The problem, though, is that people fail to use the appropriate labels, especially in social circumstances rendering things as difficult as for my school teacher. Doctors prefer prodding around well-cooked flesh of chicken with their forks instead of prodding around diseased human flesh when they come to parties. (Particularly when they cannot bill the owner of that flesh? I did not say that!) A white coat would so occupy them with the latter that the former would become impossible. A black gown would probably have a lawyer stranded in lonely splendor, maybe because people are too afraid of being sued for slander the next day for bibulous mutterings. So, everyone and his uncle dresses up like a corporate honcho/Banker (except the vagabond, who cannot afford to, but then the vagabond is unlikely to be invited to such jamborees anyway) making it difficult to identify them.
It is here that the world has simplified things these days. Instead of working your way through the mazes of professions, it has made it simple by merely seeking that you identify and appropriately kowtow to relative success. SO, the more expensive the dress, the accessories, the car and the conversation ('When I was in Zurich last night' instead of  'When I was in Forum Mall last night') the more respect is due to the person. Finis!
The entire corporate world is, therefore, geared to getting its products recognized as the appropriate label for the person! All you have to do is to get your product recognized as THE label to identify a class of person and you have achieved Marketing Nirvana.
See - the world RUNS on labels! So, I cannot fault my school teacher for bemoaning the lack of one.