--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Labels are just labels, just handles to…" description: "\"“Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp things, pick them up, turn them over in our hands.”\" — Jason McIntyre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg" --- # Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp… ![“Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp things, pick them up, turn them over in our hands.” quote by Jason McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg) > ““Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp things, pick them up, turn them over in our hands.”” [Jason McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mcintyre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labels are tools that let us grasp and examine concepts, but they are merely handles, not the things themselves. **In simple terms:** Labels help us handle ideas. Key Takeaway Use labels thoughtfully, not as absolutes. Themes language perception conceptualization Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - communication - critical thinking Key Concepts semiotics cognitive framing Questions to Reflect On - What benefits and limits do labels create? - How can we see beyond labels? A Different Perspective Labels can restrict understanding if taken as fixed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grasp Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grasp-things-1270991/) [Just Handles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-handles-4500506/) [Just Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-labels-4500505/) [Label](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Labels Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels-just-1570066/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Major labels just lost their way. It's like the housing bubble. They lost a sense of the fundamentals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/major-labels-just-lost-their-way-it-s-like-the-housing-bubble-they/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [I hate labels because it should be just music. I don't see anything wrong with disco. Call it anything. It's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-hate-labels-because-it-should-be-just-music-i-don-t-see-anything/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Those labels that they give you, just because they don't understand. If you look past this moment you'll see you got a friend when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-forgotten/those-labels-that-they-give-you-just-because-they-don-t-understand-if/) [The Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-forgotten/) > [“It is in the nature of winds to Snatch and Grasp at things, and Blow Them Away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/it-is-in-the-nature-of-winds-to-snatch-and-grasp-at-things-and-blow/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Basically we just created our own label, but again we just did it to document our own music and create our own thing, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/basically-we-just-created-our-own-label-but-again-we-just-did-it-to/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [Sometimes, the things we think are so simple but not so easy to grasp are the things that work the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-graham-buffett/sometimes-the-things-we-think-are-so-simple-but-not-so-easy-to-grasp/) [Howard Graham Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-graham-buffett/) > [To be radical is to grasp things by the root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/to-be-radical-is-to-grasp-things-by-the-root/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [A lot of big labels will just sign bands like a write off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rich/a-lot-of-big-labels-will-just-sign-bands-like-a-write-off/) [Adam Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rich/) > [Not being a liberal, I have very little grasp of things that I know nothing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/not-being-a-liberal-i-have-very-little-grasp-of-things-that-i-know/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Not all of us are born with the same role models and grasp things the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-phillips/not-all-of-us-are-born-with-the-same-role-models-and-grasp-things-the/) [Nathan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-phillips/) > [I truly believe, as an institution, most major labels should just die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-truly-believe-as-an-institution-most-major-labels-should-just-die/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“Some things are too terrible to grasp at once. Other things-- naked, sputtering, indelible in their horror-- are too terrible to really ever grasp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/some-things-are-too-terrible-to-grasp-at-once-other-things-naked-2/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Some things are too terrible to grasp at once. Other things - naked, sputtering, indelible in their horror - are too terrible to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/some-things-are-too-terrible-to-grasp-at-once-other-things-naked/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [You're not a combination of all your labels. You just are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bradley/you-re-not-a-combination-of-all-your-labels-you-just-are/) [Ruth Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bradley/) ## More by Jason McIntyre > [“I suppose a body gets used to laying under a sheet at night and when it doesn’t feel the familiar weight of fabric pressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/i-suppose-a-body-gets-used-to-laying-under-a-sheet-at-night-and-when/) [Jason McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mcintyre/) [Explore all 2 Jason McIntyre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mcintyre/) ## More Label quotes > [I'm signed to a U.S. label, and I didn't enjoy the 3 A.M. phone calls. I'm not a great sleeper, so I didn't enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-m-signed-to-a-u-s-label-and-i-didn-t-enjoy-the-3-a-m-phone-calls-i/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [“How would your life be different if...You could control the outcome of your day, your week, your year? Let today be the day...You embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/how-would-your-life-be-different-if-you-could-control-the-outcome-of/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [I think some people think I'm, like, anti-label, and I'm not. I just wanted to sign a deal when the time was right. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-azalea/i-think-some-people-think-i-m-like-anti-label-and-i-m-not-i-just/) [Iggy Azalea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-azalea/) > [The will to label will always prevail over what's being labeled, usually at the expense of either truth or understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/the-will-to-label-will-always-prevail-over-what-s-being-labeled/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [A label is a soul-tattoo that is ingrained deep in our hearts, so much so that it determines how we see ourselves, And how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derwin-l-gray/a-label-is-a-soul-tattoo-that-is-ingrained-deep-in-our-hearts-so-much/) [Derwin L. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derwin-l-gray/) > [When people see you have a song on MTV, they think you are doing well - but you know, the way the traditional label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-sobule/when-people-see-you-have-a-song-on-mtv-they-think-you-are-doing-well/) [Jill Sobule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-sobule/) > [I was always real deep into music. From everything, all around the board - from East Coast, West Coast, down South, everywhere. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-dolph/i-was-always-real-deep-into-music-from-everything-all-around-the/) [Young Dolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-dolph/) > [Women come in all shapes and sizes, and we are what we want to be, not the label that is placed on us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-willett/women-come-in-all-shapes-and-sizes-and-we-are-what-we-want-to-be-not/) [Erin Willett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-willett/) > [The pop world is cool, but I never really thought of myself as part of it or wanting to be a part of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/the-pop-world-is-cool-but-i-never-really-thought-of-myself-as-part-of/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [You can't control it once you turn it into the label, so there's the expectation that it'll leak a week before the album comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/you-can-t-control-it-once-you-turn-it-into-the-label-so-there-s-the/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [After coming from a major label, I realized the entire business has been decimated, and you can't look to labels to try to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/after-coming-from-a-major-label-i-realized-the-entire-business-has/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-been-part-of-running-a-label-since-i-was-a-kid-so-i-understand/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There's a very distinct difference between a really wonderful DIY label and a soft drink company, or a car company, or a clothing brand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-palomo/there-s-a-very-distinct-difference-between-a-really-wonderful-diy/) [Alan Palomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-palomo/) > [I think any label is bad. I'm more than a label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/i-think-any-label-is-bad-i-m-more-than-a-label/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [The problem with working under an outside label is that your music never seems to reach the right people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/the-problem-with-working-under-an-outside-label-is-that-your-music/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) [Browse all 593 Label quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp things, pick them up, turn them over in our hands.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jason McIntyre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-let-us-grasp-things-pick-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Label" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-let-us-grasp-things-pick-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e1/jason-mcintyre-93973_label_labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-l_537168.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Labels are just labels, just handles to let us grasp things, pick them up, turn them over in our hands.” — Jason McIntyre", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jason McIntyre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mcintyre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Labels are just labels, just handles...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-let-us-grasp-things-pick-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mcintyre/labels-are-just-labels-just-handles-to-let-us-grasp-things-pick-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```