When I was little, opposites were a big deal. Stop and Go. Over and Under. I'm sure you can think of some.
I have heard someone speak about choice. He said that although the opposite of choice is often given as no choice, what really destroys choice is a lack of consequences. If no matter what you choose the same thing happens your choice doesn't matter. So it would appear the opposites don't really matter it's the antithesis of choice that can affect things.
It made me think about creating. The first thing that comes to mind when I try to think of the opposite of creation is destruction. But perhaps the worst kind of destruction, the kind that destroys creation, is apathy. Or maybe apathy isn't the right word, but not wanting to create, having no desire, or need or anything that leads to creating things. Consuming can cause apathy. It's easier to consume than create so why not just consume? So in someways maybe consumption is the antithesis of creating, (although it is not in others see Part 2.)
And maybe opposites are not nearly as important as we thought when we were 5.
Does this mean I have to stop reading Olivia Owl's Opposites to Abby??
ReplyDeleteAlso, this reminded me of an Elie Wiesel quote - "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death."
I guess you can still read Olivia Owl's Opposites :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a good quote. It's kind of scary how dangerous indifference is...