The Naming Game

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.--Genesis 2:19-20

Even if he was dissatisfied, felt the need for another being closer in nature to himself, do you reckon Adam felt more comfortable with the beasties, having a name for them? I do.

Last night I looked up a term because somebody else had told me her husband had NPD, Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I researched on that website of all wisdom and learning, Wikipedia. (Yes, I'm not serious.) I could have sworn the author had been cohabiting in my household. You don't think flies on the wall edit Wikipedia, do you? Hum. Interesting. Velly interesting.

So. So what? What's in a name? Moses knew. When God appeared before him in a burning bush, he asked for hidden information.

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"--Exodus 3:13-14

Is that what you'd ask God, given the chance? It's not a surprising question, not for the time and culture. Names count. Names control the person whose name is called. To know the name of something means we have power over it.

It's still true. How do you increase your sales? Know the name of those you're selling to, and use it.

Why the hype about the naming process? It matters! Name the child Barbara, she'll grow up to be foreign, strange. Can you think of a Barbara who doesn't fit the picture the name paints? The child becomes the name.

NPD. A name. And a name begets power over the entity. A rose is a rose is a rose. So, what is an NPD?