Why do we like labels?
1. It's easier than the alternative.
2. We're taught from grade school on to sort things into categories and boxes.
3. We probably have to deal with too many people in any given day.
Take me. This semester I have a light student load, only 62 students instead of my more typical 70-80. But even with 62 it becomes hard to treat each one as an individual. And that doesn't say anything about the dozens of other people -- colleagues, administrators, people here, there, and everywhere -- I come into contact with. That's a lot of people.
Plus, we've all learned from 1st grade, if not long before, that one of the teacher's primary "jobs" is to "grade" people, i.e. put people in categories. And when I go public with my suggestion that we get rid of grades, it really doesn't matter what "group" I'm talking to -- I'm going to get labelled as "impractical and idealistic" (at best) or "avoiding my basic responsibilities" or even worse.
FWIW, the reason I fit into certain boxes that lots of people put me in is that I am utterly convinced of the overall superiority of markets to state action, and part of the reason I'm utterly convinced of *that* is that I believe our unit of account should be the individual. That we'd be better off refusing the temptation to label and treat everyone as individuals.
Of course to do that, we'd have to be willing to work less, do fewer things, have fewer expectations, and all those other things none of us ever seem very willing to do.
Which, by the way, I think part of what Paul is getting at in the "be not conformed..." part of the quotation in my signature.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)