This is totally random, but I just saw someone referring to the idea that "the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." This strikes me as somewhere between wrong and simplistic. The truth is that these three emotional states are really three corners of a triangle:
What's the "opposite" of love? Well, assuming this is an equilateral triangle, there are two points in the triangle furthest from love: one is hate, which is the opposite along the "positive/negative" axis, and one is indifference, which is the opposite along the "magnitude" axis. Note, of course, that it is a triangle, because as the magnitude goes to zero and you reach indifference there becomes very little, well, difference between the most positive feeling and the most negative feeling.
The truth, then, is not that "the opposite of love is not hate." It's that indifference is, perhaps, just as far from love as hate is, and maybe can be just as hurtful as hate, too. A pedantic point, but one that I think is worth making. Also, I like making colorful diagrams.
Thank you for this, 'totally random' post. It helped me understand this conundrum much better. The graphic was particularly helpful.
ReplyDeleteI like this triangle. If you read this send me an email at pgforan@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks
Patrick
this makes no sense, what emotion is in the top-middle? High-intensity indifference? In truth I think it should be a hollow circle with both maniacal love and hatred meeting in the top.
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