Is Same the Opposite of Opposite?

It’s an axiom among many thoughtful people in our culture that our world is a collection of opposites. We’ve all heard it said that for every action there’s a reaction; for there to be up there must be down. In implies out; day, of course, has night; on has off. Black is paired with white; bad with good. Yin is entwined with yang. It seems intuitive.

But a question occurred to me this morning: what's the opposite of a mountain? The first, reflexive answer is, of course: a valley, but that’s plainly untrue. Valleys and mountains aren’t created by opposite (or even similar) geological forces. Some valleys cut through flat plains; in many cases mountains are crisscrossed by brooks and creeks that carve valleys from the mountainside, but that’s hardly what we’d consider an “opposite” relationship.

Is earth the opposite of sky? If so, when we look into the night sky we can see millions of miles into the sky, but we can’t see a foot into the earth (if we dig a hole we can see some small distance, but the deepest holes we've ever made only go maybe a couple of miles - the earth is 25,000 miles wide). And even if we could see through the earth, at some point we’d start seeing sky again on the other side. That hardly seems like an opposite to me.

Do we consider our friends opposites of our enemies? Not really. What’s the opposite of old? Young? How can that be? Doesn’t the concept of opposites imply that it works in both directions? Young is a step on the path to old, but the opposite isn’t true. The opposite of broken isn't fixed, is it?

And what’s the opposite of dog? If we lived in the world of 1940s and 50s cartoon movies, the opposite of dog would be cat. But we live in a different, less sensible world, where dog and cat can’t be considered opposites any more than birds and humans can. One could ask: is a white dog the opposite of a black dog? But then, what would a border collie’s opposite be? Or a zebra’s? Or a greyhound’s? By the way: what is the opposite of bird? Fish?

And here's a big one...what is the opposite of me? You?

Two Seasons by Galway Kinnell

I

The stars were wild that summer evening
As on the low lake shore stood you and I
And every time I caught your flashing eye
Or heard your voice discourse on anything
It seemed a star went burning down the sky.

I looked into your heart that dying summer
And found your silent woman's heart grown wild
Whereupon you turned to me and smiled
Saying you felt afraid but that you were
Weary of being mute and undefiled

II

I spoke to you that last winter morning
Watching the wind smoke snow across the ice
Told of how the beauty of your spirit, flesh,
And smile had made day break at night and spring
Burst beauty in the wasting winter's place.

You did not answer when I spoke, but stood
As if that wistful part of you, your sorrow,
Were blown about in fitful winds below;
Your eyes replied your worn heart wished it could
Again be white and silent as the snow.

Galway Kinnell

Spicy

Shovel chew dip shovel chew chew pause oh I thought this was the medium salsa oh that’s where’s the water has the waiter brought the water yet oh thanks gulp gulp oh that’s better no it only went away for a while gulp gulp could you ask him for more water I wish they were clearer about which is spicy my mouth is on fire can I drink your water until gulp glug (I’m gonna have trouble tomorrow morning) you’re right eating some chips might help I’m not usually such a baby but I usually like it milder gulp glug.