THERE ARE NO OPPOSITES IN LIFE, ONLY COMPLEMENTS

That’s right. I meant exactly that. In life, there are no opposites, so when we say: this is the opposite of that, well, it’s a total misconception because they are not really opposites, they are just complements of each other.

Opposite Chess Pieces

How is this, you say? Well, allow me to explain, will you! Firstly, let’s look at the meaning of the word “opposite”. According to my little Pocket Oxford Dictionary, opposite is defined as: -

opposite — adj. 1 facing, on the other side (opposite page; the house opposite). 2 (often foll. by to, from) contrary; diametrically different (opposite opinion). —n. opposite thing, person, or term. —adv. facing, on the other side (lives opposite). — prep. 1 facing (sat opposite me). 2 in a complementary role to (another actor etc.). Now, look at these seeming opposites. Have you watched the movie “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” as played by Nicolas Cage?

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

If you remember in that story, “Johnny Blaze” became the Ghost Rider when he made a deal with a demon, Mephisto, who bonded him with a demon named Zarathos, and his job was to punish the wicked, right? Along the line in the movie, after he met a friend who took him to a coven of monks, that friend told him the story of how the Ghost Rider came into being. Zarathos was originally an Angel of Justice that was sent from Heaven to protect man. Later, he was tricked by the Devil into Hell, where he was corrupted and driven insane. After this corruption, he became a demon and took on the role, not of protecting the innocent any more, but of punishing the guilty. Now, my point is this: if you were to discuss on what happened to Zarathos, you would say that as a demon, he was turned into the opposite of his former self, but I say that this is not the case. Instead, he became another being that complements his former self. For instance, imagine when he was still an Angel of Justice. Whenever there are wicked people to prey on the innocent, he would be there to protect these innocent ones, but technically, he would do nothing to the wicked people. They’re not his job, right? But think objectively about this, what happens to those wicked people? Nothing! They simply continue to be wicked to other people whenever Angel Zarathos is not around. So for Angel Zarathos’ job to be complete, there has to be someone that does something about the wicked people. This person will not be his opposite, but his complementary other. So, Zarathos as a demon was not the opposite of Zarathos as an Angel, he was his complement.

Let’s take a look at another example. If I ask you what is the opposite of black, your answer is ……………….. white, right? So now, let’s consider this: Ever seen or used a chalkboard before? Technically speaking, you need a white chalk to write on this board, which is usually painted black. Now, if these two colors – black and white – were opposites, this would mean that both of them would never agree. But since they are not opposites, that is why they both can work together to give you fine writings that will help you to learn. What if your teacher, who does not want to bring “opposites” together, decides to use a white marker on a white board, or a black chalk on a blackboard, would you see what is written? So, if there were no whites, black would have had no reason to exist. Therefore, black and white are not opposites, but complementary.

Addition on a Blackboard

Alright, let’s consider another scenario: Are you a man or a woman? Male or female? If you are a man, then your opposite will be, a woman, right? And vice versa. But consider this, as a woman, can you exist without a man? As a man, can you exist without a woman? So in the end, we both need each other to exist, and this makes us, not opposites, but complements of each other. Look at an amoeba that has no sex, what organism can you say is the opposite of an amoeba? Tell us, please!

Male and Female Opposite

What about up and down, top and bottom. If there were no up, could we even have the concept of down at all? If there were no bottom, will anything exist that can be referred to as top? I think not! They are not opposites, but complementary.

Up and Down arrows

How about night and day. Can one be without the other? Can you draw the line between night and day, and tell us that “this is where night ends and day starts”. Will night completely “pack its load”, that is: stop totally, before day arrives to take over? No! They blend into each other. They are not opposites but rather complements.

Night and Day

Negative and positive. Will one be without the other? Hope you are aware that when you add something to somewhere, you are subtracting it from elsewhere.

Plus and Minus sign

Take a look at the Ying Yang logo,

Ying Yang

What happens when you remove one part?

Ying Yang incomplete

Does it still look complete or not? Are those two sides that make up the Ying Yang logo opposite or complementary?

Even the four elements, are they opposites to each other or complementary? Is Air opposite Earth and Fire opposite Water? Nope! Four Elements Now, what do you believe? Are there still opposites in life? Can you think up any more concepts that are opposite, and then look at how they can be complementary rather than opposites?