--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's funny how we like labels. If I ever…" description: "\"It's funny how we like labels. If I ever have a bookstore, I'm not going to put any labels on the sections.\" — Audrey Niffenegger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/audrey-niffenegger-1298_bookstores_it-s-funny-how-we-like-labels-if-i-ever_368138.jpg" --- # It's funny how we like labels. If I ever have a bookstore… ![“It's funny how we like labels. If I ever have a bookstore, I'm not going to put any labels on the sections.” quote by Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/audrey-niffenegger-1298_bookstores_it-s-funny-how-we-like-labels-if-i-ever_368138.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/audrey-niffenegger-1298_bookstores_it-s-funny-how-we-like-labels-if-i-ever_368138.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/audrey-niffenegger-1298_bookstores_it-s-funny-how-we-like-labels-if-i-ever_368138.jpg) > “It's funny how we like labels. If I ever have a bookstore, I'm not going to put any labels on the sections.” [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often categorize to simplify understanding, but labels can limit perception and freedom. **In simple terms:** Labels simplify but can restrict. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity and avoid unnecessary categorization. Themes identity freedom perception simplicity Mood thoughtful curious Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - bookstore organization - personal relationships - team structures - creative projects Key Concepts social constructs psychology personal autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do labels shape your choices? - When might labeling be beneficial? A Different Perspective Labels may be useful for communication, even if they constrain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) ## Related quotes > [I've done well, I've been disappointed, and I think it all goes back to you. Of course the labels are going to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-ve-done-well-i-ve-been-disappointed-and-i-think-it-all-goes-back-to/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [If you look at something like Spotify, many record labels are investors in the company. So from that standpoint, the money is all going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/if-you-look-at-something-like-spotify-many-record-labels-are/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [I don't like labels necessarily because a label doesn't mean very much. But when it comes to being conservative, I happen to be conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-like-labels-necessarily-because-a-label-doesn-t-mean-very/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I'm sad for younger bands that don't have a home that they know they can go to, like the twenty-five labels that used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-bettencourt/i-m-sad-for-younger-bands-that-don-t-have-a-home-that-they-know-they/) [Nuno Bettencourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-bettencourt/) > [I don't like labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/i-don-t-like-labels/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) > [I believe this generation, particularly the younger people don't really like labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/i-believe-this-generation-particularly-the-younger-people-don-t/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [I don't like labels, but if you have to put a label on it, I'm a gay man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-grey/i-don-t-like-labels-but-if-you-have-to-put-a-label-on-it-i-m-a-gay-man/) [Joel Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-grey/) > [My business is words. Words are like labels, or coins, or better, like swarming bees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/my-business-is-words-words-are-like-labels-or-coins-or-better-like/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [The thing with labels is they're not for you, they're for other people. Like labels are just a word for other people to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/the-thing-with-labels-is-they-re-not-for-you-they-re-for-other-people/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [I don't like labels. I don't understand the need for them. When you define yourself a certain way, people have expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-huang/i-don-t-like-labels-i-don-t-understand-the-need-for-them-when-you/) [Eddie Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-huang/) > [I don't like labels, but I do have blue eyes and I'm soulful, so what am I going to do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-thicke/i-don-t-like-labels-but-i-do-have-blue-eyes-and-i-m-soulful-so-what/) [Robin Thicke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-thicke/) > [I don't like labels. I think they conceal more than they reveal, sort of like a bikini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-don-t-like-labels-i-think-they-conceal-more-than-they-reveal-sort/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [“I don't like labels being put on anyone. I judge the person on how they interact with me. If you're good to me, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-labels-being-put-on-anyone-i-judge-the-person-on-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like to have labels or to be pigeonholed into certain areas, but I guess you could say I've always been conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-don-t-like-to-have-labels-or-to-be-pigeonholed-into-certain-areas/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [People say we look like preps but you know I dont like labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haleynichole/people-say-we-look-like-preps-but-you-know-i-dont-like-labels/) Haleynichole ## More by Audrey Niffenegger > [But you know: you know that if I could have stayed, if I could have gone on, that I would have clutched every second:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/but-you-know-you-know-that-if-i-could-have-stayed-if-i-could-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I look at him, look at the book, remember, this book, this moment, the first book I ever loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-look-at-him-look-at-the-book-remember-this-book-this-moment-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“When I was young I didn't understand, but now, I know, how absence can be present, like a damaged nerve, like a dark bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-understand-but-now-i-know-how-absence-can/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [Everything seems simple until you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/everything-seems-simple-until-you-think-about-it/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I place my hands over her ears and tip her head back, and kiss her, and try to put my heart into hers, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-place-my-hands-over-her-ears-and-tip-her-head-back-and-kiss-her-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Sister Carmelita says animals don't have souls" "Of course animals have souls, where did she get that idea?" "She said the Pope says." "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/sister-carmelita-says-animals-don-t-have-souls-of-course-animals-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [We didn't think the library was funny looking in it's faux- Greek splendor, nor did we find the cuisine limited or bland, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-didn-t-think-the-library-was-funny-looking-in-it-s-faux-greek/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [He said something interesting: he said that he thinks there is only free will when you are in time, in the present. He says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/he-said-something-interesting-he-said-that-he-thinks-there-is-only/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Dead is the most alone you can be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/dead-is-the-most-alone-you-can-be/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [What are you doing?" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and-entering-pay-no-attention-to/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I won't ever leave you, even though you're always leaving me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-won-t-ever-leave-you-even-though-you-re-always-leaving-me/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“It seems like we're going to collide, and we laugh, and laugh, and nothing can ever be sad, no one can be lost, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/it-seems-like-we-re-going-to-collide-and-we-laugh-and-laugh-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“We were royally miserable together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-were-royally-miserable-together/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“No.” Valentina closed her eyes. Of course not. “It’ll be great, Mouse. We’ll have our own apartment, we won’t have to work,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/no-valentina-closed-her-eyes-of-course-not-it-ll-be-great-mouse-we-ll/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“I make books because I love them as objects; because I want to put the pictures and the words together, because I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-make-books-because-i-love-them-as-objects-because-i-want-to-put-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) [Explore all 250 Audrey Niffenegger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) ## More Bookstores quotes > [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [Evangelical Christians and I can sit down and talk one on one about how much we love Jesus, and yet I'm not carried in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/evangelical-christians-and-i-can-sit-down-and-talk-one-on-one-about/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [We should all miss bookstores. They let you discover things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-hefner/we-should-all-miss-bookstores-they-let-you-discover-things/) [Christie Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-hefner/) > [My main interest was finding boyfriends. I'd park myself in the bookstore and read with one eye on everyone coming in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mann/my-main-interest-was-finding-boyfriends-i-d-park-myself-in-the/) [Sally Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mann/) > [At one time in my career, Barnes and Noble bookstores categorized my books as religious fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/at-one-time-in-my-career-barnes-and-noble-bookstores-categorized-my/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [...bookstores, libraries... they're the closest thing I have to a church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/bookstores-libraries-they-re-the-closest-thing-i-have-to-a-church/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [Here, you can walk into a bookstore and pick up a Bible or Christian literature and learn. Over there, they are lucky if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/here-you-can-walk-into-a-bookstore-and-pick-up-a-bible-or-christian/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-turbulent-times-in-times-of-great-change-people-head-for-the-two/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [“Judge not the value of a friend by the number of boy- or girlfriends they helped you get. But by the number of books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/judge-not-the-value-of-a-friend-by-the-number-of-boy-or-girlfriends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Your reciept is your library card." -- On what killed the brick and mortar bookstores.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-p-naughton/your-reciept-is-your-library-card-on-what-killed-the-brick-and-mortar/) [Michael P. Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-p-naughton/) > [“Readership is highly dependent upon format and distribution as much as it is on content.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/readership-is-highly-dependent-upon-format-and-distribution-as-much/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [If Im in the bookstore, and I see a 700-page novel, my first thought is, Ooh, how could you cut this down to size…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/if-im-in-the-bookstore-and-i-see-a-700-page-novel-my-first-thought-is/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Printed books usually outlive bookstores and the publishers who brought them out. They sit around, demanding nothing, for decades. That's one of their nicest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/printed-books-usually-outlive-bookstores-and-the-publishers-who/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) [Browse all 307 Bookstores quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's funny how we like labels. 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