The symbiotic relationship between opposites
The idea of this buzz was born soon after reading a great buzz by @David Navarro López on “Compromise”. We choose and compromise our choices, but then who knows into which trajectory those paths may take us. We live in a world filled with opposites and contradictions and we find ourselves increasingly in need of compromising. Compromising differences is a topic that warrants attention.
Small differences can affect our lives in unimaginable ways. Not only human differences, but even differences in materials that we consume. One example is that of two very similar chemicals that are mirror images of each other. They differ only in the way they turn light- one isomer turns it right and the other left. Even such negligible differences may affect our lives drastically in three ways. They may show three different symbiotic behavior.
- Communalism- often only one of a drug's optical isomers is responsible for the desired physiological effects with the other isomer neutral
- Parasitism- as in thalidomide drugs in which the symbiotic relationship between the two isomers resulted for terrible side effects for babies whose mothers consumed this drug during pregnancy
- Mutualism- is the win-win form of symbiotic relationships, with both partners benefiting
Human relationships are similar. Two people who might seem very similar in their behaviors with very small differences might develop the three types of symbiotic relationship between them. Small differences in attributes and characters might result in completely different behaviors that exceed our imagination.
A creative way of generating new behaviors is taming the differences and by doing that creatively we may produce overwhelming results that would build on mutualism- differences that make all parties winners. One example is clay and sand. Clay allow water to run through and has low capacity for storing heat. The opposite of sand is clay for it absorbs water and has a high capacity to store heat. What happens if we sensibly mix the two? Great improvements in crop yields.
Rough and Smooth is a principle in magic in which cards coated with roughing fluid cause them either temporarily stick together or slicker then the others. The two opposites may have a magical effect if brought together.
Rough and smooth textures have been employed to decorate houses and beautify them.
Rough and smooth- we find it in our cells existing together. Our cells need both of them to function properly.
Creativity people have the attributes of being able to host opposites and use them wisely. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention beautifully illustrates this concept. A creative individual is more likely to be both aggressive and cooperative, either at the same time or at different times, depending on the situation. Highly creative people tend to be more likely to have opposing sets of character pairings – and that they’re more extreme.
Do creative people may act stupidly sometimes? I believe so as expressed in my presentation “Stupidity Spawns Creativity”. Stupidity may relax the mind and awaken the child within us.
Creativity is making two opposites have mutualism between them and turning a communalism or parasitism into a mutualism one.
Ali Anani
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التعليقات
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #55
Beautiful example and I wish you the same
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #54
Excellent observation
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #53
John Rylance John ~ good point ... As I mentioned to @AliAnani ... some things can be compromised … some cannot. Wisdom is required. Compromise is important (especially in close relationships) but we must guard against compromising more important values (TRUTH-personal integrity) Compromise in matters related to career also require wisdom ... but may allow for more flexibility. My rule is that the closer the relationship, the greater need to compromise. The key is gaining understanding of why a person "feels" the way they feel. I'd rather lose a battle than a war ;~)
John Rylance
منذ 4 سنوات #52
I agree. The reason people who apparently stay together is their ability to compromise. Though compromise is a positive step, how often do people say in a negative fashion I feel compromised.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #51
Fay Vietmeier You keep me interested to read your forthcoming buzzes. I hope it shall not be a long wait.
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #50
@AliAnani How true Ali ... differences are everywhere and how we "deal with them" speaks volumes & determines outcomes I am writing about differences & compromise & will keep you in-the-know ... I have so many words so little time ;~)
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #49
#49 Dear John and Fay- you are both right. It is not only the differences; more it is how we deal with them.
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #48
John Rylance John~ I agree ... the differences in people can make them very attractive & interesting (or not) "You complete me" comes to mind ... I think this is a line from the movie Jerry McGuire ... which was most enjoyable and ended well ;~) Two people who are in a mutually fulfilling relationship grow into "oneness" and in many ways do complete each other. Everyone love a happy ending ;~)
John Rylance
منذ 4 سنوات #47
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #46
Thank you dear Fay for offering this explanation. I appreciate it.
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #45
@Ali 🐝 Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee Ali~ Barnabas (means “son of encouragement”) ~ Acts 4:36 Barnabas was a disciple of Jesus Christ spoken about numerous times in the book of Acts in the Bible. He was well known in the early Christian Church (Barnabas is mentioned in Acts chapters: 4,9, 11-15) Bible Gateway.com is a good resource for reference
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #44
I couldn't find the meaning of Barnabus. However, I understand that I encourage you. I must say I only do this dear Fay when I believe this is the case. It shall discredit me if I share a buzz or encourage a writer who lacks the quality. Yes, I encourage writers who I see they are established or promising to be.
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #43
Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee Ali~You are a "Barnabus" one who encourages ... thank you ;~)
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #42
Dear Fay Vietmeier Thanks Fay for reminding me of an old buzz that I wrote, but still is vivid in my mind. I am keen on reading your next buzz. I am sure it shall add value to all of us.
Fay Vietmeier
منذ 4 سنوات #41
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #40
Bill Stankiewicz
منذ 4 سنوات #39
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #38
Jerry, there are people with imagination and for lasting accomplishments. Your example is a clear evidence of what I mean.
Jerry Fletcher
منذ 4 سنوات #37
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #36
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #35
Yes, it is a race of being my friend David Navarro L\u00f3pez. It is unfortunate that chaos is spontaneous whereas order isn't. It is easier to compete than collaborate because we focus on today and not tomorrow as well. Where are we heading for?
David Navarro López
منذ 4 سنوات #34
Thank you Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee, it is a gem, which worths a buzz or even a book. Like many things in nature. the USa-China thing comes from the mutual will to destroy or conquer its opponent in a race of being "the one and only", and before the fact that this war would be unviable, they "need" to cooperate. Unfortunately, symbiosis is not always intended to have its inception or target on the "better good"
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #33
I invite David Navarro L\u00f3pez
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #32
Harvey Lloyd- great addition and the example you provide resonates with me. I shall refer back to the battery metaphor to try answering your question. The positive and negative poles produce an emerging current. Each pole alone shall not. I believe USA and China need to find the emerging current of their opposites. This current can be sold and share the profit. Or, they could produce industries that are profitable and dependent on the availability of electricity such as electroplating. They could again share the profits. They could think of generating electricity to be sold for profit-sharing. I believe it is the mindset that looks at opposites as enemies that prevent the emergence of creative solutions. Maybe you and I could think of something and suggest it to both governments.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #31
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #30
Amazing comment my friend.. It stretches my thinking to new boundaries. For example, for how long will the current be available? More important is the voltage difference and the higher it is the better. This means that we need to have good illumination we need to have noticeable differences between the two poles. What you wrote "But when we review the landscape it is the limiting belief that the negative post serves no purpose". Limiting belief means that the potential difference between the two poles is small. The paradox here is that the bugger the difference is, the greater illumination we may have. And there are who calls for eliminating the negative because it serves no purpose!!! What a wonderment of a paradox!!!
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #29
Enjoyed your pun and the metaphor of the battery. You are correct in saying that the adversarial system we have of opposites is a reality. Your metaphor, today, would be explained differently though. We can not have light because there is a negative post on the same energy source. We must eliminate this post before we can illuminate the space. How ludacris this sounds when spoken in the metaphoric/scientific sense. But when we review the landscape it is the limiting belief that the negative post serves no purpose. The bulb grows dim as we seek to subtract all the negative from billions of points of view. The looming question is who will will become the final arbiter of the negative post?
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #28
This is an illuminating comment. I love it. You remind me again of two buzzes that I wrote in which I exemplified the negative and positive too the negative and positive poles of a battery. Two lie poles shall not illuminate and only the positive pole with the negative one shall do so. It is the illumination of the opposites that we seek.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #27
#27 opposites are all around us in humanity. These have existed for millenia. What has changed is that we now want everyone in the same silo before advancing. I believe X and now only want to associate with X. In the past we were opposites that formed alliances under common goals and eventually found the synergies within each opposite. Forming a new force of potential. Opposites in humanity are a cause for us to listen and learn on both sides. Humanities sustainability is evolutionary not cause and effect. Without opposites we would not challenge each other to grow. However we need to understand that opposites can not build silos of like people. This is tribal and goes against humanities sustainability. Opposites need each other to forge from status quo new understandings.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #26
I do respect your comment Joyce \ud83d\udc1d Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee. You are right to prefer the word alliances to opposites. However; one definition of creativity is turning the negative to positive. As this buzz is about creativity I preferred to use the word opposites and show the positive effect in the title by choosing the symbiotic relationship of the negative with the positive.
Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee
منذ 4 سنوات #25
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #24
I agree with your observation Preston \ud83d\udc1d Vander Ven and that mind-renewal is a source of creativity
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #23
I smell that you are writing a poem dear Debasish Majumder
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #22
You said it all my dear Debasish Majumder "i wonder, whether two opposite how far exactly complement each other to make a positive value favorable for both to thrive with vigor". This is the needed creativity that I call for in creating new realities from opposites. Our left and right brains are different because one is logical and the other isn't. It is the swinging between the two at the right moment that help us achieve a symbiotic relationship between differences. Sometimes we need to be fanciful, imaginative and then at the right time to swing to be reflective and logical. The battery of our minds work because the positive and negative poles work together.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #21
I would agree that values do have a high cost that we must pay. But opportunity cost is also high when we sacrifice our personal values we are excluded from high value opportunity cost areas. Generally when we circumnavigate our personal values we commit to the default presentation. This is where a sense of delayed gratification would apply. Within the delay we are open to experience what opportunity cost would deny if we had circumnavigated our values. I would venture to say that i would rather engage with a team who share similar values, within a mediocre potential, rather than Ignore the values in a great potential. I would further state that the reward or fulfillment of success would also be an opportunity cost to consider. A shared victory within values or a victory where my values were consistently tested in obtaining success. Great discussion and thoughts. I would think that as we consider the final verdict of outcomes, who are we within success has a large influence. Did i survive with my values or who did i sacrifice at the alter of success in not standing rigid?
Debasish Majumder
منذ 4 سنوات #20
your singing sand appears intriguing to me sir Ali \ud83d\udc1d Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee! i always thought what actually the reason of a matter to appear as hexagon in shape in our spectrum. though i do consider our evaluation precisely based on mere reflection out of the sensory organs we possess and as we too as a matter having up, down, front back as well left right, accordingly all matter reflects on our spectrum with a shape of hexagon, as per surely my opinion, being less erudite. your example of 'isomer' is most fascinating to me as apart from observing it, moment we consume, it exactly produce compound or a symbiotic relationship. i wonder, whether two opposite how far exactly complement each other to make a positive value favorable for both to thrive with vigor. i guess, without negating one other may cannot thrive with much hype. however, absolutely fascinating buzz indeed sir.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #19
Values should remain constant and rigid. I find this as a big challenge in view that flexible is less costly. I showed this in a presentation that I wrote few years back titled "Fixed Vs Variable" https://www.slideshare.net/hudali15/fixed-versus-variable Fixed values have their apparent and hidden costs. It is a big challenge for humans to stay trustful to their values for the cost is high. This doesn't mean in any way that I am against fixed values, but keeping them is like holding burning coal in hand. One way of extending values to customer is to maximize delight while reducing pain. Delight in quality, in packaging, in easy use. So, if we define Delight/pain we should aim for the maximum. Are our values subject to the same formula? Are our values linked to the delight we gain form holding them against the paint that we receive from holding them?
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #18
There is a huge challenge today to keep our values rigid. I wrote a presentation on Fixed Vs Variable, in which I showed the high cost of keeping things fixed. https://www.slideshare.net/hudali15/fixed-versus-variable
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #17
Our values should be rigid and hard to change. Values meaning those of shared humanity and the golden rule concept. Choices and compromise are built upon these value sets. This should guide us away from any choice or compromise that does not support the values we subscribe. No deal is a valid response in these cases. In my own thoughts i was considering the thoughts we use when entering a new truth and the future thoughts of outcome. In concert these have great baring on our choice and willingness to pursue diverse ideas. The more rigid our thoughts on either side, the more likely we are to force people and ideas through filters of our own design. Using a floating need and outcome paradigm within choice and compromise allows us to free up skills and knowledge towards a shared, diverse fulfillment. Amazingly we tend to lead with the "buthead syndrome" first, the result of rigidity on both sides of compromise and choice. I subscribe that i have mastered buthead and can turn it on at any point, it is just another choice. I have not met many who could not go from 0-buthead in 2.3 seconds. We should reserve this tool for the most egregious experiences. We can float our thoughts until buthead is needed. Once we introduce buthead to the team we are invoking not only our own lower performing brain, but asking for others to do the same. Before long we are all throwing our own dodo at everything. Not a pretty sight. Now we have the same issues we started along with a very messy room, unless you are planting flowers anyway. Great thought as usual.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #16
There is a growing awareness of understanding the role of chemistry in human interactions and you provide a great example in your comment. That is humans who catalyze interactions, but without affecting their end result. Human bodies are made up of chemical reactions and enzymes play a major catalytic role in these reactions. This is great because we know the product is the same, but we get it faster and under milder conditions. Do you believe my friend this is the role of leaders? I am just gauging your mind by asking this question. Yes, timing is important. We now refer to phemto seconds. It seems we have ground time as we grind any material into microns and less. Time exhibits different character than coarse time. You thrill me with this possibility to investigate it further. Australia define a microfine system as that which exhibits different properties than the bulk particles and different behavior as well. Does time follow same rule? You really got me thinking my friend.
David Navarro López
منذ 4 سنوات #15
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #14
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #13
That is why you are not a "rigid" person, Pascal
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #12
You remind me of the Panarchy Diagram. This diagram has four phases: growth, conservation, release and reorganization. It is the rigidity gap that results from between conservation and release. Fast growth will lead to conserve later what became a limited source. The way to avoid the resulting rigidity afterwards is a move a little and reorient. What you are suggesting is in great conformity with this wise approach. I agree fully with you. This is very well-explained in your quote "It's when we continue to add to previous rigid structures, new information, the structure becomes too weak to hold the team and outcome together" Again, this is in conformity with the panarchy diagram. Rigidity is followed by the release phase .as a way to relieve rigidity. You explained this diagram with new perspective my friend.
Pascal Derrien
منذ 4 سنوات #11
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #10
Past foundations of rigidity should be abandoned for new builds of the same. We may use some of the same components in the new design/build, as rigidity is custom designed to enhance a purpose or outcome. Yesterdays purpose or outcome is now been given new light of information we didn't have. Should we add the new information to old rigid structures? Or should we look at the entire rigid structure and rebuild or renovate? Its when we continue to add to previous rigid structures, new information, the structure becomes to weak to hold the team and outcome together. Rebuilding the structure is difficult and requires acquiring new wisdom. Both of these needs place great burden upon the leadership. However keeping up with old structures within a new paradigm is difficult also. Another point, the position from which we look at compromise and choice. From the outside we don't see the previous rigid structures that have been added to over time. So the choices don't look wise. More importantly it is difficult from our own perspective to see in our own window of rigid structures. By floating our own needs and outcomes we can now expose our own fears and rigid structures within the context of "Anti-Fragile". But this requires humility and courage. This level of personal reflection can only be driven by a shadow of secure axioms.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #9
I just wonder dear Harvey how many nuggets of wisdom and be extracted and compiled from your comments. Two examples from your current comment: "Rigidity is a tool. It is not a position". I just wonder here if we may have a scale of rigidity. "Rigidity insures skirmish lines while success is eroded by time" I should devote a buzz to extract your nuggets embedded in your comments on my buzzes and compile them in a buzz.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #8
By floating needs and outcomes, in faith, i/we can explore the diversity on both ends. Making no mistake that i can become rigid when necessary. But as a rule rigidity can compromise our wisdom, diversity and limit success. Rigidity is a tool. It is not a position. Absolute Rigidity is reserved for proven axioms of humanity. In today's world the tool of rigidity has become a manifesto all the way to failure with excuses of existential crisis blame. When we can learn to float these things into the paradigm and experience true reflection from the team, it is a breath of fresh air. The team and leaders breath freely in designing choice and compromise for future outcomes. Rigidity insures skirmish lines while success is eroded by time.
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #7
This is a great comment my friend. Rigidity trap results in the undesired outcomes. Rigidity not only of structure, but also of need and outcomes are the same in limiting us. I find your writing "Recognizing that compromise/choice is based on floating outcomes/need procurement that must emerge," deep, thorough and deserves very special attention. I am sure you have had this in your meeting with teams and that your experience in handling rigidity by example is a nourishing one. This is a topic that hasn't received due attention and I am sure you have much more to share with us. This is very well reflected in the ending of your superb comment "By adding these two bookends it brings new light to the internal and external acts performed during compromise and choice".
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #6
Thank you dear Debasish Majumder for your great comment and for sharing the buzz. Yes, I am considering writing a buzz on The Chemistry of Creativity based in part on your comment. Chemistry is creating the unknown and the unfamiliar. But also, physical changes may lead to great creativity and emerging behaviors. Take grind quarts that is ground (or precipitated quarts) that generates in micronized sizes. These behave differently from macro particles. Take singing sand that arranges into conical forms and acts like a microphone generating loud music upon walking on it. The big and small together may generate new properties and performances.
Harvey Lloyd
منذ 4 سنوات #5
Debasish Majumder
منذ 4 سنوات #4
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #3
Ali Anani
منذ 4 سنوات #2
Thank you dear Bill. You are so considerate
Bill Stankiewicz
منذ 4 سنوات #1