I used to think that paired opposites were a given, that love was the opposite of hate, right the opposite of wrong. But now I think we sometimes buy into these concepts because it is so much easier to embrace absolutes than to suffer reality. I don’t think anything is the opposite of love. Reality is unforgivingly complex.
— Anne Lamott
From her great book Bird by Bird.
So true, most of the times reality is so hard to digest we have to lie to ourselves. Never heard about that book but know I definitely have to buy a copy. Thanks for sharing it.
We are so often attracted to the false dichotomy that it must somehow be a part of our core programming. Sadly, there are many who seek to exploit our willingness to accept such paired opposites, not least of which are the politicians who set us up for “with us or against us” scenarios. In Australia, the false dichotomy has a close friend, the trite but equally powerful three-word slogan.
” I don’t think anything is the opposite of love”… to me, we should love, and not give excuses such as finding a name for its opposite.
Thanks Matt.
Anything is the opposite of love?!?
How about “Anyways”? 🙂
On another note:
I just read your latest tweet and if you can’t find a version of Ornithology from Joshua Redman, visit: http://www.vogelstimmen-hoeren.de/galerie.html
(it load’s a bit slow, but nicely made, no WordPress though but birds)
Bird by Bird is witty, funny and very honest. Even though I am not a writer, I absolutely love the book and her work.
And Matt … on another note:
I can’t signup with Gravatar,
neiter with lowercase nor uppercase,
the new e-mail or the old (if you know what I mean).
It’s just because of the name I have
and did choose and want to use 🙂
Any suggestions?
The opposite of love is indifference.