Funny... your post reminds me of sitting in a workshop at the Omega Institute a million years ago; we were in the middle of "identifying" ourselves... or figuring out what labels we had attachments to. It's a very clear memory... I could never feel comfortable with anything beyond "I AM." Any further qualifiers felt silly... weird.
I learned something interesting... evidently, when I meet people and say "Hi, my name is Peter" (which is true) it's a far less common salutation than saying "Hi, I am Peter." No I'm not... it's just a name.
The hidden messages in language fascinate me. We say so much without being aware that we're saying it.
Oddly enough, I love labels! Labels are awesome... AS LONG AS we just use them as what they are... "pieces of information." The problems begin when we start self-identifying with the labels.... and it seems that's pretty much what you're suggesting, as well.
It's a tricky business. Humans-- I feel-- are ultimately very "tribal" by nature... and labels help us find a sense of peer-group belonging; I'm an introvert, I'm Danish, I'm of Viking ancestry, I'm a MBTI INFJ... I'm all manners of "-ists." They are labels... but they are also invitations to connect.
Ramble over... just free-associating a bit, there...
Well I don't have a problem with "I am" or "I am a". I understand the basic "i am", but that is nothing but blank consciousness that is the similar basis for all human animal construction. We all share basic functionality and behavioral dynamics, but we are all individual, unique, and different in many way as well.
I am human. The word human exists to describe a specific type of animal, us. I am also not employed. I am many things. And they can accurately define me. I don't have apprehensions about describing myself.
LOL, yeah it's funny like you say, I have a name, given or chosen -- no I can't be a name, but that is part of my identity anyways. It identifies me from others. It's arbitrary compared to a word that actually defines a state of being. Names of personas don't define states of being ;) No categories of being in philosophical-metaphysics, so we can name ourselves anything hehe.
Indeed. The point is to remake, reconstruct and transform ourselves (alchemy) so that we learn to identify the false parts of who we think we are and learn to let go of them. Not to deny being able to say "I am" or "I am a", yet learn how we can fall for cognitive traps by limiting what we're seeing due to the restriction of labels or group identities, etc.
Labels are useful indeed, and they help us identify others on common or dissimilar grounds. Awareness of how we use them is how we can use them better hehe. Thanks for the feedback as usual ;)