The Opposites Game (or the Electric Dialectic)

Background: This game was inspired by a late night conversation - an argument over the question “What is the opposite of LOVE?” Many participants instinctively answered “hate.” One person gave the thoughtful (but controversial response “indifference.” This exchange raised broader questions about the system of binaries that our perception relies on. Opposites seem to be the way that we order our knowledge, our ethics.

The Game: is quite simple. I will introduce a word. The next poster will enter the opposite of that word, according to their own values, judgement, instinct, perception etc. The third poster will then enter an opposite of the previous posters response, and so on and so forth.

I am guessing that there is enough gray area that the post won’t decend into “black, white, black, white, etc” – but we’ll see about that. Anyway, to the game:

First word: life

death

awareness

ignorance
ethical

Knowledge.

Faith

Evidence

Superstition

rationality

Insanity

Convention

Bohemianism

mundane

spicy

bland

exciting

special

common

unique

identical