Reverse Generalizations

        As I expressed in my book, there are a reason for stereotypes and generalizations but you need to be responsible with them because you will be hard pressed to find a member of the group that has every single stereotype that is associated with them.  This is going to take the reverse because I'm sick and tired of people believing that labels don't apply to them. Just because you don't exemplify every stereotye, doesn't mean you're any less a part of the group.  For instance, Greeks are normally tardy to everything.  I am very punctual, my punctuality doesn't make me any less Greek.  The reverse comes in when political parties are entered into the mix.
        The tipping point for me came when I read a book called, "Why I drink."  As I read through the book, it was liberal idea after liberal idea then he said, "I hate when people call me liberal because I hate hippies, so therefore I'm not liberal."
     This is merely an exception to the general rule.  I can still say that if an issue comes up, you'll agree with the liberal point of view, this is just an exception.  The label is still good and shouldn't be excluded.  Stereotypes and generalizations are not science, humans are all unique in some aspect so obviously exceptions will come up unless that person is incapable of thinking for themselves and just follows party lines.  One of my closest friends hates when I call him conservative, yet I can't think of one issue that he's liberal on.  He's against affirmative action, favors lower taxes, wants much stricter border control, believes in strong family values, pro-capital punishment, pro-life etc. etc.  He just hates politics so tries not to discuss it but anyone who comments on society and current events is being political in some shape or form.  Since "Conservative' is an adequate label for me, I can say that on any given issue, him and I will agree and we do.  When we debate, it's always based on logic and reason about the issue.  That's what he tells me, "I'm not conservative I just take an issue and think about it logically and make a conclusion" My response, "Precisely why you're conservative you just don't like the label"  Conservatives base their views on logic, liberals on emotion. 
           Labels are an important way to let someone get to know you.  You need to give them shortcuts so don't condemn them just because you have a couple exceptions.  Even in psychology, which tries to provide a scientific understanding of human personality, they allow for exceptions.  Every single psychological disorder is based on the DSM-IV, in which at least 10 traits are listed and if a certain number apply to you, you are diagnosed with that disease.  Not one disease on the DSM-IV requires every single trait to be evident, yet the label still works. 
       I have more respect for people that have no nationalistic ties and hate being labeled than with people that claim to be of ethnic descent but hate being labeled because at least their consistent with their illogical thinking.  If you consider yourself white, black, HIspanic, Dominican, American etc. etc. but don't like being labeled because of a couple exceptions, you are being a hypocrit.  If a majority of traits fit you, embrace the label because given the 6 billion people on this planet, there probably are a lot of people that have a similar combination of traits as you...deal with it!