DEFINE, LABEL AND GROUP

13. Define, label and group

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• As humans, we have this need to identify and classify the world around us.
• We are compelled to name things and sort them into boxes.
• We do this to everything—from flowers and clouds to thoughts and actions.
• We are prone to see groupings even where there aren’t any, since that’s the way our brains make sense of the world.
• Put this tendency to work.
• Coin an evocative name or symbol for something you want to encourage.
• Conversely, find a distasteful name for something you want to discourage.
• Labeling draws attention to whatever’s been labeled.
• Labels can make one group feel exclusive and another group feel excluded.
• By switching labels, we can also change how something is perceived.
• And over time, we can change people’s behavior too.

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