One thing that's fascinated me over the years is the idea of understanding opposing forces or ideas in order to further appreciate its opposite.
For example, without having some understanding of the more painful emotions of life we don't fully appreciate the boon of happier times. Or without realising the role of violence throughout humanity do we see what tolerance and peace can do.. and, just as importantly, what it cannot do.
Eastern, Zen influenced, philosophy is full of notions of duality - "Know the female, yet keep to the male" etc but it's easy to just use these phrases as idealistic sound bites without thinking more about what they might mean. I think life is much too complicated to assume there's only two aspects to consider but it's a good enough starting point to achieving something close to balance.
People who swear by one particular way of doing things usually find themselves up against the odds yet they fail to see that perhaps their approach is holding them back. They have a few handfuls of successes so they assume their way is the cause of it. However, there will be times where it doesn't work and rather than adapt, they try the same tactics, butting their heads against the wall in vain.
"Be like water, my friend" - Bruce Lee.An example might be an aggressive business strategy that seems to bring results. The uber late nights, no time to talk or eat, ultra ruthless, self centred.
It's gotten many people some impressive results for sure. But what about the times it doesn't work? What about the things you lose? The kind of person you become?
Does it work for helping you become more tolerant? More patient? More adaptable? Happier? More interesting? A better friend, lover, brother, sister, father, mother?
So, knowing what an aggressive lifestyle can do is essential but just as essential is knowing what it can't do.
The flip side of the coin is knowing that one can live a life of always being there for others, giving and compassionate but that's not all there is to life either. There's nothing wrong with going and out and getting what you want sometimes. So a person who lives a life that's too conservative and meek could do with a dose of kick ass.
The challenge is not letting one dominate the other to the point where you life your life only one way, like a one dimensional character.
I'm sure we can all think of famous tycoons who are the former and all know people who are the latter. Both could do with a dose of the opposite.
And yes, this does all apply to music. How can something be heavy without something non heavy to compare against? Imagine if music had sounded like Black Sabbath since the dawn of time? Iommi's riffs wouldn't have had the same effect back in 1970.
The beauty of contrasting opposites mean that the stuff we love is much more valuable to us. This is why I never understand people who hate absolutely anything different, whether it's music or whatnot. We need different. We need opposites. You don't have to like the stuff that is opposite to what you believe / practise / play but we should sure as hell appreciate its existence and know the inseparable role it plays in our lives.
Know the darkness yet keep to the light. Or know the light yet keep to the darkness. It's up to you but do know them.
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This post has been edited by Ben Higgins: Aug 20 2015, 09:18 AM
lots of valid points dude.
