René Magritte’s famous painting The Treachery of Images presents a simple yet provocative statement: Ceci n’est pas une pipe—This is not a pipe. At first glance, the statement appears absurd. After all, the painting depicts a meticulously rendered pipe. But Magritte’s point is as profound—as it is simple: this is not an actual pipe but a representation of one. It may look like a pipe, but you cannot pick it up, fill it with tobacco, or smoke it. The painting challenges our perception of representation, reminding us that words and images are not the things they depict.
Let’s apply this logic to something more ordinary: a bucket.
If I show you a picture of a bucket (see Figure 1) and tell you this is not a bucket, you might hesitate, but the principle remains the same. It’s an image, a symbol, an idea of a bucket, but not the physical object itself. You can’t fill it with water, carry sand in it, or use it in any practical way. It only represents a bucket, not the real thing.
“This Is Not a Pipe”: The Problem with Labels
Every day, we encounter metaphorical “buckets”—categories into which we neatly sort people, including ourselves. Someone is a student, a professor, an artist, or an athlete. These labels function as mental shortcuts, helping us make sense of the world. But what happens when someone doesn’t fit neatly into a single category? Or when they outgrow the label someone has assigned them?
And what if the label no longer serves them (e.g., the bucket has a hole)?
A hole may cause a bucket to no longer function as a bucket, but that doesn’t mean it has no value—it just means we need to reconsider it. The same question applies to the labels we assign to ourselves and others.
Consider a person labelled as an “academic.” They teach, research, and publish. But is that all they are? If they take photos, write creatively, or practice a craft—are they only scholarly? If they stop publishing, do they cease to be an academic? Over time, the label of an “academic” can become not just a description but a limitation. It shapes how they see themselves and how others see them. But is that really who they are? Or is it simply a story they’ve carried for too long?
When we believe the label is the thing itself, we fall into the same trap Magritte exposed—confusing representation with reality.
The Fluidity of Identity
A label may capture part of our experience, but it can never contain the full complexity of who we are. Just as an image of a pipe is not a pipe, a label is not a person.
Think of an academic who is also a photographer, a teacher who finds solace in music, or an athlete passionate about community activism. We do not exist in isolation. Relationships, experiences, and personal growth shape our identities. When we hold too tightly to a label, we risk reducing ourselves to a single dimension, denying the richness of our evolving selves.
Beyond the Pipe
If we recognise that identity is fluid rather than fixed, we free ourselves from the constraints of rigid labels. A broken bucket might no longer carry water, but that doesn’t mean it has no purpose. We can reshape, repurpose, or see it in a new way. Similarly, our sense of self is constantly evolving.
Likewise, a person does not have to stay confined to just one role. A teacher can be a lifelong learner. A scientist can be a visual storyteller. An artist can be an engineer of ideas. Just as Magritte urges us to question the nature of images and language, we should also query the boxes we place around ourselves and others.
True identity is not about fitting into a predefined category; it’s about embracing the full spectrum of who we are. It’s about recognising that we are not just one thing but many things. And sometimes, the most liberating realisation is understanding that this is not who you are—at least, not entirely.
So the next time you find yourself boxed in by a label, ask yourself: Is this all I am? Because more often than not, the answer is: This is not a pipe!
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