Why is it that many (most?) people prefer to categorize themselves whenever possible? Categories are a useful construct for discussion, but given the emphasis our culture places on individuality, it is interesting how often people apply a broad category in their own description. These may be ideologies (republican, democrat, libertarian, anarchist), philosophies (nihilist, materialist, Hindu, Christian), or qualities (race, gender, nationality)–nearly everyone (at least in our culture) puts themselves in such categories.

There is a language benefit in referring to a population by a category, but often an individual will cling to the identity of a category. Is it really useful to have a binary construct of politics (republican or democrat only), gender (masculine or feminine only), or religion (theist or athiest only)? When such binaries are constructed, most of us tend to fall somewhere on a spectrum between the two (sometimes arbitrary) opposites; yet we find a need to identify with a single side than to exist along the spectrum.

Perhaps categories create and enhance a sense of community, but they might also act to impede creativity.