--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Labels don't mean much to me one way or…" description: "\"Labels don't mean much to me one way or another -- except when they close the minds of potential readers. I'd much rather we do away with genres and si..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/charles-de-lint-1481_austin_labels-don-t-mean-much-to-me-one-way-or_3066803.png" --- # Labels don't mean much to me one way or another -- except… ![“Labels don't mean much to me one way or another -- except when they close the minds of potential readers. I'd much rather we do away with genres and simply file everything under fiction. I know it can work -- one of my favourite record stores (Waterloo Music in Austin) simply files everything…” quote by Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/charles-de-lint-1481_austin_labels-don-t-mean-much-to-me-one-way-or_3066803.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/charles-de-lint-1481_austin_labels-don-t-mean-much-to-me-one-way-or_3066803.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/charles-de-lint-1481_austin_labels-don-t-mean-much-to-me-one-way-or_3066803.png) > “Labels don't mean much to me one way or another -- except when they close the minds of potential readers. I'd much rather we do away with genres and simply file everything under fiction. I know it can work -- one of my favourite record stores (Waterloo Music in Austin) simply files everything alphabetically and no one seems to have much problem finding what they're looking for.” [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labels can limit imagination, but removing them may hinder discovery; balance is needed between categorization and openness. **In simple terms:** Labels restrict; openness helps. Key Takeaway Find a balance between genre tags and free discovery. Themes creativity classification freedom discovery reading literature Mood thoughtful curious Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - library cataloging - online bookstores - music stores - personal reading habits Key Concepts genre theory cognitive bias information architecture Questions to Reflect On - How can we design systems that guide without restricting? - What benefits do genres provide for creators? A Different Perspective Over‑categorization can make it harder for audiences to locate specific interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genres/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Record stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-stores/) [Waterloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waterloo/) ## Related quotes > [I don't steer clear of genres. I simply haven't steered myself toward some of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-don-t-steer-clear-of-genres-i-simply-haven-t-steered-myself-toward/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [How could I have not known about Ume? An Austin trio fronted by a whirling dervish of singer guitarist who in the standard PR…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-allen/how-could-i-have-not-known-about-ume-an-austin-trio-fronted-by-a/) [Dave Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-allen/) > [Is it true or false that Belfast is north of London? That the galaxy is the shape of a fried egg? That Beethoven was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/is-it-true-or-false-that-belfast-is-north-of-london-that-the-galaxy/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [“If there is anything terrible, if there exists a reality which surpasses dreams, it is this: to live, to see the sun, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/if-there-is-anything-terrible-if-there-exists-a-reality-which/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [My true glory is not to have won 40 battles ... Waterloo will erase the memory of so many victories, ... But ... what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-true-glory-is-not-to-have-won-40-battles-waterloo-will-erase-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The press has met their Waterloo, and it's Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-press-has-met-their-waterloo-and-it-s-obama/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Every man meets his Waterloo at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-phillips/every-man-meets-his-waterloo-at-last/) [Wendell Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-phillips/) > [But my point is that 'the death of God' is not something like the Battle of Waterloo or Magna Charta. It's not a historic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pattison/but-my-point-is-that-the-death-of-god-is-not-something-like-the/) [George Pattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pattison/) > [Shiloh had as many casualties as Waterloo, and yet there were another 20 Waterloos to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/shiloh-had-as-many-casualties-as-waterloo-and-yet-there-were-another/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [“The peculiarity of the Battle of Waterloo was its narrow compass, with 140,000 men crammed into three square miles; the front was only four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mclynn/the-peculiarity-of-the-battle-of-waterloo-was-its-narrow-compass-with/) [Frank McLynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mclynn/) > [“My home is in Banff, Alberta, up in the Rockies. Waterloo is two time zones east, nine hundred kilometers farther south, and more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-alan-gardner/my-home-is-in-banff-alberta-up-in-the-rockies-waterloo-is-two-time/) [James Alan Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-alan-gardner/) > [The views from Waterloo Bridge are amazing - you can see so much of London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-warner/the-views-from-waterloo-bridge-are-amazing-you-can-see-so-much-of/) [Amelia Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-warner/) > [Of course the chronology of the books is a bit back- to - front, and books usually come out before movies. But happily, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fielding/of-course-the-chronology-of-the-books-is-a-bit-back-to-front-and/) [Helen Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fielding/) > [Now, gentlemen, let tomorrow be their Waterloo!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-t-beauregard/now-gentlemen-let-tomorrow-be-their-waterloo/) P. G. T. Beauregard > [History is powerful stuff. One day your world is fine. The next day it's knocked for a metaphysical loop. Was Napoleon really at Waterloo?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-bromell/history-is-powerful-stuff-one-day-your-world-is-fine-the-next-day-it/) [Henry Bromell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-bromell/) ## More by Charles de Lint > [The family we choose for ourselves is more important than the one we were born into; that people have to earn our respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-family-we-choose-for-ourselves-is-more-important-than-the-one-we/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/every-time-you-do-a-good-deed-you-shine-the-light-a-little-farther/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-road-leading-to-a-goal-does-not-separate-you-from-the-destination/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“Maybe she couldn’t go. Maybe she wanted him to stay. But she knew enough not to try to hold him back if he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/maybe-she-couldn-t-go-maybe-she-wanted-him-to-stay-but-she-knew/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-magic-in-this-world-seems-to-work-in-whispers-and-small-kindnesses/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [You can take the woman outta the trash, but you can't take the trash out a the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-can-take-the-woman-outta-the-trash-but-you-can-t-take-the-trash/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Fortune-telling doesn't reveal the future; it mirrors the present. It resonates against what your subconscious already knows and hauls it up out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/fortune-telling-doesn-t-reveal-the-future-it-mirrors-the-present-it/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [When you're touched by magic, nothing's ever quite the same again. What really makes me sad is all those people who never have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/when-you-re-touched-by-magic-nothing-s-ever-quite-the-same-again-what/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [There are few joys to compare with the telling of a well-told tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/there-are-few-joys-to-compare-with-the-telling-of-a-well-told-tale/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [How hard would it be to ask children what they see in their heads? How big should the house be in comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/how-hard-would-it-be-to-ask-children-what-they-see-in-their-heads-how/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [... we chase after ghosts and spirits and are left holding only memories and dreams. It's not that we want what we can't have;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/we-chase-after-ghosts-and-spirits-and-are-left-holding-only-memories/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Writing music uses a whole different process that involves a lot of noodling and just seeing what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/writing-music-uses-a-whole-different-process-that-involves-a-lot-of/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [The real problem is, people think life is a ladder, and it's really a wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/the-real-problem-is-people-think-life-is-a-ladder-and-it-s-really-a/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Tattoos...are the stories in your heart, written on your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/tattoos-are-the-stories-in-your-heart-written-on-your-skin/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) [Explore all 237 Charles de Lint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) ## More Austin quotes > [In the tradition of the classic songwriter rooms like The Bluebird in Nashville, Strange Brew is a gift to the music community in Austin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-cross/in-the-tradition-of-the-classic-songwriter-rooms-like-the-bluebird-in/) [Christopher Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-cross/) > [Athens, much like Austin, is a difficult music scene. There are so many musicians there that it is hard to get gigs and hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-smith/athens-much-like-austin-is-a-difficult-music-scene-there-are-so-many/) [Corey Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-smith/) > [I assaulted Stone Cold Steve Austin and got away with it! It was indeed a very special night for me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-mcmahon/i-assaulted-stone-cold-steve-austin-and-got-away-with-it-it-was/) [Vince McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-mcmahon/) > [I try to make as much time as I can for R5, because I love it so much. Ultimately, that's what's going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-lynch/i-try-to-make-as-much-time-as-i-can-for-r5-because-i-love-it-so-much/) [Ross Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-lynch/) > [Me being able to beat up Austin Powers? I mean, how great can that be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verne-troyer/me-being-able-to-beat-up-austin-powers-i-mean-how-great-can-that-be/) [Verne Troyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verne-troyer/) > [“I love you,' I told him. It was not the first time, but I didn't want it to be the last. Austin gathered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/i-love-you-i-told-him-it-was-not-the-first-time-but-i-didn-t-want-it/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [Does anybody have, a cold beer for Steve Austin?!??!!?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/does-anybody-have-a-cold-beer-for-steve-austin/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [That's one the main reasons we live in Austin. The weather is so nice for the majority of the offseason, and it's easy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/that-s-one-the-main-reasons-we-live-in-austin-the-weather-is-so-nice/) [Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/) > [I would say of characters I've created, the one I've felt the most connected to emotionally was Adam Austin from 'The Prophet.' I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-koryta/i-would-say-of-characters-i-ve-created-the-one-i-ve-felt-the-most/) [Michael Koryta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-koryta/) > [I come from a very small island which is packed with people. I mean, jam-packed with people. I've lived a life which has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-come-from-a-very-small-island-which-is-packed-with-people-i-mean/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [What we've witnessed in the past 25 or 30 years is just incredible. We've birthed 30,000 or 40,000 restaurants. I used to go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/what-we-ve-witnessed-in-the-past-25-or-30-years-is-just-incredible-we/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [ “To me \[Edgar Allan Poe's\] prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin's \[sic\]. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-me-edgar-allan-poe-s-prose-is-unreadable-like-jane-austin-s-sic-no/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I always love to come to Austin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-always-love-to-come-to-austin/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Austin is sexy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mee/austin-is-sexy/) [Mee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mee/) > [I just went to your typical public schools, and my dad would take us to the movies every week, or he'd buy scalped tickets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-pascal/i-just-went-to-your-typical-public-schools-and-my-dad-would-take-us/) [Pedro Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-pascal/) Browse all 214 Austin quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Labels don't mean much to me one way or another -- except when they close the minds of potential readers. I'd much rather we do away with genres and simply file everything under fiction. 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