Friday, March 2, 2012

There's A Human Behind That Badge

Many jobs come with a badge of some sort. Some are fancy like a sheriff or a CIA badge. Some command respect like a doctor's credentials. And some are miserable and humiliating, like a McDonald's name badge.

Badges are similar to uniforms: They dehumanize us. A cop is a cop. They're all the same. No matter the nuances, they have the same beliefs, same actions, same speech patterns and vocabulary. They're totally interchangeable. The same can be said of every retail wage slave.

Except that it's completely wrong. The badge may dehumanize us, but there's a human behind that badge. And when you take it off, or when you look beyond it, you see that an individual person is there.

Many interesting stories can be found by seeing a human behind a badge. There is always conflict in beliefs and expectations. It is compelling to break down a figurative cog and see that it is powered by a unique spirit.

And while you have all of this in mind, remember that not all writers are interchangeable either, even though many people may believe it. And, when needed, feel free to remind people of that fact if you hear them saying otherwise.

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