We used to think that the sun revolved around us.

Then we learned we revolve around the sun.

Now we know the truth. We actually revolve around labels.

Their gravity is too much to withstand, and we get sucked into a very expensive black hole of our beloved products.

Tell me, if you could, what the point of different labels are. Don’t keep telling yourself that the brand of your phone, your clothes, your car, really matter.

Are you a better person because you own an iPhone? If you pooled together one hundred phones of students at Bedford, I guarantee that 90 percent of them would be iPhones. Samsung may be the other 10 percent, and what’s wrong with that?

Many people will argue that the design on the iPhone is so much better. The iPhone is silver, and the Samsung is gray. Looking at pictures, there is absolutely no difference. We compare these two without a thought; the iPhone is obviously better. Yet the Samsung came out with the first wireless charger. What has the iPhone done?

Lets look at another example: Bearpaw and Ugg. When the labels are removed, there is no noticeable difference. Many argue, the Ugg holds up better. But does it? Many people say that without even trying out the product that they are criticizing. It leaves us all small minded. The little details keep us boxed in and make us really believe the hype that truly may not even exist.

Another issue that strikes a chord with teenagers in Westport is clothing. Let’s put together a typical outfit of an eighth grade girl. Timberlands $160. LuluLemon leggings $98. Brandy Melville top $40. A classic ensemble, simple even. Just $300.

Kids are focused on these types of things, fixated on the perfect outfit. They beg their parents for just one more pair of sneakers, jeans, or shirt.

This won’t make anyone more successful. It’s not as if wearing a designer pair of jeans automatically gives you five more points on your assessment.

It can also affect the way people see each other. The first thing that anyone judges others on is looks. Ew, they’re wearing Gap, they’re so weird.

It’s not as if boys are spared from this. Whether it’s Nike sneakers or Vineyard Vines, no one is immune to this fixation. Not only girls obsess about whether they look cool or not.

These brands are obviously at the core of this issue. They get celebrity endorsements, spend millions of dollars on marketing, and push these products non stop into the faces of children. Teens don’t know any better but to accept this, and believe it.

Let’s say that your role model is Serena Williams. You see a commercial over and over and over of her wearing Beats, giving you an impression that these are something that make her more successful. Now you want a pair of Beats. And Apple just rakes in the cash.

Next time you think about judging someone because of his or her possessions, think again. Maybe if you give their insides a chance, not just what they possess, you may be pleasantly surprised. When labeling a person for what he or she possess, what would you label that?