--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sorting we do to ourselves and to one…" description: "\"“The sorting we do to ourselves and to one another is at best, unintentional and reflexive; at worst, it's stereotyping that dehumanizes. The paradox i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/bren-brown-280_quote_the-sorting-we-do-to-ourselves-and-to-on_1174928.jpg" --- # The sorting we do to ourselves and to one another is at… ![“The sorting we do to ourselves and to one another is at best, unintentional and reflexive; at worst, it's stereotyping that dehumanizes. The paradox is that we all love the ready made filing system. It's so handy when we want to quickly characterize people. But, yet we resent it when we're the…” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/bren-brown-280_quote_the-sorting-we-do-to-ourselves-and-to-on_1174928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/bren-brown-280_quote_the-sorting-we-do-to-ourselves-and-to-on_1174928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/bren-brown-280_quote_the-sorting-we-do-to-ourselves-and-to-on_1174928.jpg) > ““The sorting we do to ourselves and to one another is at best, unintentional and reflexive; at worst, it's stereotyping that dehumanizes. The paradox is that we all love the ready made filing system. It's so handy when we want to quickly characterize people. But, yet we resent it when we're the ones getting filed away.”” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sorting people simplifies perception but can dehumanize; we love quick labels yet resent being labeled. **In simple terms:** Labels simplify but dehumanize. Key Takeaway Question assumptions, avoid stereotypes. Themes identity stereotyping humanity Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - team building - education - media consumption Key Concepts psychology social bias empathy Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance quick judgments with deeper understanding? - What practices foster seeing people beyond labels? A Different Perspective Overreliance on categories can blind us to individuality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dehumanizes Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dehumanizes-paradox-3422371/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Sorting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorting/) [Stereotyping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotyping/) [Stereotyping Dehumanizes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotyping-dehumanizes-3422372/) ## Related quotes > [“True belonging is not something you negotiate externally, it’s what you carry in your heart. It’s finding the sacredness in being a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/true-belonging-is-not-something-you-negotiate-externally-it-s-what/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Nobody's perfect so while you over there criticizing, stereotyping, assuming, and judging take a look at yourself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-s-perfect-so-while-you-over-there-criticizing-stereotyping/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is useful to remember, however, that neglecting valid stereotypes inevitably results in suboptimal judgments. Resistance to stereotyping is a laudable moral position, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-is-useful-to-remember-however-that-neglecting-valid-stereotypes/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“Stop the noise of assumption and you'll hear the music of ascension.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/stop-the-noise-of-assumption-and-you-ll-hear-the-music-of-ascension/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The human compulsion to group people and objects together was ingrained in our being since we evolved. We need to group things, group the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-caruso/the-human-compulsion-to-group-people-and-objects-together-was/) [Charlie Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-caruso/) > [Yet another thing Canadians and Europeans have in common is an obsession with the United States, and with distinguishing themselves from it, often by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/yet-another-thing-canadians-and-europeans-have-in-common-is-an/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Stereotyping and generating brands around musicians I think contributes to their eventual demise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/squarepusher/stereotyping-and-generating-brands-around-musicians-i-think/) [Squarepusher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/squarepusher/) > [By stereotyping my work's audience as self-involved and prissy, women-only packaging also insults my readers, who could all testify that trussing up my novels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/by-stereotyping-my-work-s-audience-as-self-involved-and-prissy-women/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [When the government is looking for a criminal in the crowd, it construes people in terms of culpability: innocence or guilt. When a corporation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-miller/when-the-government-is-looking-for-a-criminal-in-the-crowd-it/) [Nicole Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-miller/) > [(Stereotyping) is only for those without the imagination to see people as they are instead of being like someone else they understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/stereotyping-is-only-for-those-without-the-imagination-to-see-people/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [“On being Single. How many times have we heard people asking “So why are you single?” “Oh no! What happened!?” I haven’t heard anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mystqx-skye/on-being-single-how-many-times-have-we-heard-people-asking-so-why-are/) [Mystqx Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mystqx-skye/) > [The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says: It's a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-chisholm/the-emotional-sexual-and-psychological-stereotyping-of-females-begins/) [Shirley Chisholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-chisholm/) > [Stereotyping is taking a universal human behavior and applying it to a specific social group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stereotyping-is-taking-a-universal-human-behavior-and-applying-it-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Yeah, I smoke, I drink, I have tattoos, but that doesnt mean Im a bad person. Stop stereotyping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yeah-i-smoke-i-drink-i-have-tattoos-but-that-doesnt-mean-im-a-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Paradox quotes > [“I never use paradox. The statements I make are wearisome and obvious common sense. I have even been driven to the tedium of reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-never-use-paradox-the-statements-i-make-are-wearisome-and-obvious/) [G.K. 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The body is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-m-lock/the-locus-of-the-modern-struggle-with-its-enemy-of-death-is-clearly/) [Margaret M. Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-m-lock/) > [I think writing kind of burns out the flaming question. Sometimes it might feel like when you're living with certain paradoxes and they're unarticulated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/i-think-writing-kind-of-burns-out-the-flaming-question-sometimes-it/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [In the hero stories, the call to go on a journey takes the form of a loss, an error, a wound, an unexplainable longing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-richo/in-the-hero-stories-the-call-to-go-on-a-journey-takes-the-form-of-a/) [David Richo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-richo/) > [The best reaction to a paradox is to invent a genuinely new and deep idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/the-best-reaction-to-a-paradox-is-to-invent-a-genuinely-new-and-deep/) [Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/) > [Most marriages recognize this paradox: Passion destroys passion; we want what puts an end to wanting what we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/most-marriages-recognize-this-paradox-passion-destroys-passion-we/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [The proposition of Mr. Ricardo, which states that a rise in the price of labour lowers the price of a large class of commodities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-proposition-of-mr-ricardo-which-states-that-a-rise-in-the-price/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [“And while we may never be able to wrap our minds around the thing itself, it is by the power of a story that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-fisher/and-while-we-may-never-be-able-to-wrap-our-minds-around-the-thing/) [Casey Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-fisher/) > [“Oh, just some crap about the essential paradox of man: How we refuse to juxtapose the absolute to the relative, and some other some-such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/oh-just-some-crap-about-the-essential-paradox-of-man-how-we-refuse-to/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) [Browse all 1,142 Paradox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The sorting we do to ourselves and to one another is at best, unintentional and reflexive; at worst, it's stereotyping that dehumanizes. 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