The Naming of Things

 

And how long has it been since we knew the first ones? It must have been long before writing, long before we came to collect within one word all those words we attached to us and to everything else: labels. Before labels there were titles; before titles there were names. And now we cannot look at a thing without seeing and hearing its name, its title, its label.

It is said that you do not use names. But I do not believe this is true. As long as you and I have walked together, this cannot be true. You must know at least two: your name for me, and mine for you.