Mihu Chossid

Notwithstanding my disdain for labels (like "ultra-Orthodox"), the issue of Chabad identity and its markers is an important one that is worthy of exploration. Let's consider some of the responses to an earlier article:

In response to a question from Dr David Weiss, the Rebbe said: "When a Jew endeavours to take a step forward in the service of G-d and the love of his fellow man every day, I am happy to consider him my chassid" and in the name of Rabbi Manis Freidman: "The question of who is a chasid has to be asked and viewed from the Rebbe's perspective, if we could ask the Rebbe today who are his Chasidim, would he point to you?"
This was countered by another comment: "... it is likely the Rebbe was telling Dr Weiss something he needed to hear. We have a much higher aspirations to be considered a chosid. Many of the young people today who don't act very chasidish are probably taking steps forward in their service of G-d and the Rebbe would consider them a Chosid.”
I’m reminded of the story of a regular at a Chabad House who kept asking the shliach if he could start
wearing a kapote,

Is Chabad ultra-Orthodox?

Despite (or perhaps because of) my distaste for labelling Jews, I was recently involved in an online debate as to whether Chabad is "ultra-Orthodox" (where I argued that it is not). This led to some self-reflection and research.

Humankind have been been involved in the process of taxonomy since the dawn of time. Hashem brought all the animal kingdom before Adam Harishon and he identified them by their "names", thus grouping and categorizing them.