Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Black and white

Warning: this post is somewhat meandering and ambiguous - I'm writing as I think!!

I was thinking about this question yesterday - do i really prefer black or white? Dark and mysterious or sunny and cheerful? Do I look at people mostly as black or white? The chain of thought led to some interesting digressions.

My initial thought on this was a balanced 'horses for courses' kind of phenomenon (i.e. on particular days / situations, I prefer black, on others white). Most time anyway is spent experiencing a huge big swathe of gray (or is it grey? - never could remember!!). Most movies, popular literature, and life as we know it is full of the golden mean, the ambiguous middle, the 'balanced' path. Therefore it is probably true that in my inner world, I always look at everything from two points of view. Nothing is right or wrong, there are only situations and actions. Everything can be justified from the other point of view.

But as I think about this, I grow uneasy. To say that everything is gray (or grey) is the easiest way out. It enables you to not take sides. But seen deeply, everything which is meaningful has happened because it was for a cause, a belief. Once you admit the supremacy of gray, everything can find an excuse, a reason for inaction, and inertia would reign supreme.

I think the truly successful person, the real virtuoso, the grandmaster strives to break free from the shackles of gray and strive for the pure. Black or white, never gray!! One or the other, never both. Yes or no, never maybe.

This thought completed, I return to the original question - is it white or black for me? I am allured by black. It beckons with power and secrets. But I think deep down I like white. I'm always optimistic, always believe the best of everything. I like summers and sunshine. I believe in good over evil. Definitely white!!

Till yesterday I would have said I like white on some days and black on the other. But today I can say I like white :-)

8 comments:

Daniel said...

It is right that you always look at everything from two points of view.nothing is right or wrong, there are only situations and actions . Everything can be justified from the other point of view. one friend on EbonyFriends.com and I all think you have right to decide which you like white or black.

Alam said...

do you think its possible to suddenly decide that you will see things in white and then be able to stick to the decision ???

I think the subconscious is slightly beyond the control of the concious. Your concious decision to see only white may face a very tough fight from your subconscious thoughts.

Example-- numerous concious decision by various people to quit smoking.

If its about seeing the positive side... then I see the merits of seeing white... and even then ignoring the black can be dangerous

But If its about judgement..then in my opinion ... ones judgement is shaped out of ones attitudes, knowledge and past experiences. To sharpen judgement one has to take the long-drawn path of - tuning ones attitudes, enhancing ones knowledge and enriching the experiences. A tough resolve could be a good beginning ..but the journey would still be long (I have a hunch that you already have a pretty good judgement)

Actually the digital on-off , yes-no kind of judgement should not work because most things are actually in-between. Yellow is in the middle of the Red-Green spectrum. Identifying "yellow" with either extremes of "red" or "green" would be incorrect.

In this chaotic world one has to be careful before taking absolute stances. Absolute stances can have disastrous outcomes ... Remember what happened after some guy said "..you are either with us or with the terrorist.."

wow i love gyan dispersion.... i must get into the religion business fast....my left eye has already taken the habit of winking excessively ...a good omen ..Baba Ramdev's left eye winks at superfast speed and he has become superhit at the religion buiness...

Anonymous said...

So is this an online confession?

Nothing Spectacular said...

Alam bhai,
You are right when you say that extreme positions are dangerous. Also when you say that you have a talent for gyan giving :-)

Nothing Spectacular said...

Alam bhai,
You are right when you say that extreme positions are dangerous. Also when you say that you have a talent for gyan giving :-)

Anonymous said...

dude... i think it can be more of one color than the other... so it cant defnitiely be only one ... for that one would be God i.e unreal... most people would say they tilt toward white ( ideal self image ) .. while in reality they may actually be tilting towards black.... all n all , world be be just around the middle mark... or who knows....

Pushpa Bhatnagar said...

Every act and every situation can be argued from both points of view so at times it requires a lot of grit to take a stand .Most of us prefer the easy way out of "may be "But than it is complex as you say maybe at times maybe is the correct stand .

Anonymous said...

Was expecting a new post given the new developments :) but guess you are busy !

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