What to Label When to Label Labeling the Unlabeled

1.6: What Not to Label

Labels: A Guide to the Labeling-Adjacent

When labeling is done correctly, the labels should be a mere afterthought in the grand scheme of things. A label's sole purpose is to provide a hint or a clue, not to draw attention away from the content. A good label should not be a distraction, nor a crutch for the content.

So, what's not to be labeled? Well, for starters, the sky.

Or, for that matter, the horizon. Or the sun, the moon, the stars, and the galaxies beyond.

But, in all seriousness, the following should not be labeled:

• The obvious
• The mundane
• The boring
• The unremarkable

Labels are for things that are, shall we say, noteworthy. The rest is just, well, background.