There is no number that could possibly convey my emotions, my experiences, my fears, my strengths,  and my weaknesses. So then why, in our culture, are we obsessed with the dehumanizing method of quantifying humans? Our bodies are categorized by numbers, with media constantly reminding us of the very few numbers that are “right.” Our intelligence is evaluated by numbers, with our future opportunities being dependent on how “good” this number is. We are a country and a society so obsessed with order and creating laws and borders in the world that we have even begun to do it to ourselves. When a number is the only representation of a person, we lose so much. We lose the strength and scars of a body that tell the stories of a life and are left with the number 4. We lose the inspiration that sparked the passion, the subtly secret brilliance with a paint brush, the opportunities that were spontaneously handed to some and the disadvantages dropped upon others. All that is traded in for a number up to 2400. We are a country that prides itself on its “melting pot” culture and the ability to make dreams come true, yet that is only possible if our own citizens are recognized as deeply complex individuals. There are innumerable events and moments that have made me the person I am, and to reduce that to a number is to objectify and categorize my entire existence. I am more than a number.