The Verb

“I live on Earth at present, and I don’t know what I am. I know that I am not a category. I am not a thing — a noun. I seem to be a verb, an evolutionary process — an integral function of the Universe.” – R. Buckminster Fuller

My experience has been that most people, myself included, identify themselves as a noun. I am an acupuncturist, I am a parent, etc. If I look more closely however, no one is just those nouns, they are all evolving. As such each person should identify as a verb and that verb is constantly changing.

For example, I might be thinking or writing one day. On another day I might be walking, exercising, or driving. It is the motion of the person that truly explains who he or she is at any given moment. Taking the focus off the noun allows the person to evolve.

There is much truth to the statement that a person becomes labeled and has a very difficult time removing that label as he goes through life. Whether the label is positive or negative, it not only defines the person, it limits him. Let’s say someone is labeled “doctor”. Now his existence is defined by his role as a doctor. Do you ever see your doctor at the grocery store or the movies? Doesn’t it seem odd to see that person in the different setting? It is as if that person is supposed to exist only in the setting of his office or the hospital. I know children find it very odd to encounter their teacher outside of the school.

This labeling is especially destructive when the person is labeled in such a way that there are negative connotations to the label. For example: klutz. Not only is the person seen by others in this way, he begins to see himself as the label as well. This limits his ability to see himself as someone who is coordinated so his experience reinforces his perception.

My mother saw herself as stupid. This label was given by her older sister and reinforced by her lack of formal education. Because she saw herself as stupid she wasn’t willing to do anything that involved education or knowledge. She had an opportunity to go to secretarial training but refused citing the fact that she wasn’t smart enough. Her life was defined by this label that was as clearly stuck on her as a name tag at a convention. Sibling rivalry defined who she not only saw herself as but who she became.

In acupuncture school we were taught not to label people. I see it as much more important in having the person not label himself as having the acupuncturist not label him. Most people use a label as a type of shorthand to explain themselves. It’s much easier to say “I’m a lawyer” than to explain what one does. Herein lies the rub, by taking the easy way through this each person limits himself and chooses to box himself in.

Instead each person should be a verb. The verb is constantly changing. You could be seeking, running, deciding, marching, etc. and this will change throughout the day as well as from day to day. This way you are a being of evolution.

What’s your verb right now?