Renowned Indian author and filmmaker Anubhav Sinha frequently addresses the intricacies of language and perception in his writing. In one of his remarks, he criticizes the way people categorize people as "left of center" without really knowing the meaning or origin of these labels.
Sinha contends that in order to call someone left-leaning, one need not understand the meaning of the terms "left" and "right." Many people don't question the meanings or origins of these terms because they have been used for so long. Rather, people typically accept them as a normal part of conversation without giving their meaning much thought.
This observation is comparable to a game in which players mindlessly obey directions from people who may not fully comprehend the rules themselves. People adopt labels and jargon that are used in society without questioning their validity or deeper meaning, much like someone might repeat an instruction without understanding why it exists.
Sinha challenges his listeners to consider the words they hear and use carefully. He advises people to seek a more nuanced understanding of concepts before applying them to themselves or others, as opposed to mindlessly adopting the fad of using particular terms. He thinks that by doing this, people can avoid needless divisions brought on by superficial labeling and have more meaningful conversations.
Essentially, Sinha's statement pushes us to talk more deeply about the concepts underlying these terms and to see past their obvious labels.