Grey

by Agassi Adre


Yes and No.
Funny words, those two; small, yet heavy. Simple, yet complex. Also, they are the easiest translatable words in the world. This linguistic quality is unique. Before I actually start, I'd like to develop on this linguistic quality, as it will be important later.

In linguistics, languages develop from a need to convey ideas, and differing languages show different interpretations of ideas. By extension, if an idea does not exist in a culture or it is not important, that culture does not develop a code or word for it, hence the lack of the word 'snow' in Tagalog or 'mamihlapinatapei*' in English. Which then leads linguists, writers, and wordsmiths to either attempt to translate or borrow words from other languages. But the words 'Yes' and 'No' exist throughout every culture, in every language. Hence, we can conclude that, to all human beings, 'yes' and 'no', as ideas, exist and are important.

And so, I begin formally.

We discussed the idea of 'yes' and 'no' and their value as an affirmation of our values and character, as well as an affirmation of our self, of our being and Being. It was well established, I suppose, that when posed the question of answering 'no' as being a bad thing, that the agreement is it is not. On the contrary, saying 'no' is another way of affirming ourselves, of our being and Being, even if the dictionaries define 'no' as a word to, in this context, denote denial. I took away from the lecture this notion that maybe the word 'no' maybe a stronger affirmation of being and Being than saying 'yes'.

We throw around those two words a lot in our lives that we tend to experience jamais vu** with them, where they lose their inherent value, and we forget that those small words are capable of defining and affirming who we are as a person. And I think we ought to remember that characteristic, even if it is not a conscious remembrance. Remembering that particular characteristic of those words can allow us, in my opinion, understand better who and what we are and who and what we are not.

This shared characteristic between those two words debunk the idea that 'yes' and 'no' are a dichotomy, two sides to a coin. On the contrary, and as was established in class, is that those words are rather like scissors; which we use to cut off other options, other choices. This shared characteristic also transcends cultures. Every culture, every human being, understands the idea behind the words 'yes' and 'no'. This means that there is a universal value to these words, and every culture holds importance to them, because beyond borders, beyond barriers, beyond languages, a need to affirm oneself and to mark a self-distinction from the il y a exists for all. We need those words to affirm ourselves, to distinguish ourselves, to mark us as unique.
In our quest to distinguish ourselves, we pick out the things that we are and cut off those that we are not. Prudence and discernment are needed, as we find out, the longer we are on this quest, the harder it is to see things as black and white, for all eventually become shades of grey.

*mamihlapinatapei or mamihlapinatapai – From the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego in southern Argentina, meaning 'a look shared by 2 people, each wishing that the other will offer something they both desire but are unwilling to offer or suggest themselves'. Think the state of mutual understanding between couples; a state after dating and before a steady relationship.

** jamais vu – French for 'never seen'. Considered to be the opposite of deja vu (already seen). It is the feeling of doing, saying, or experiencing something repeatedly that they lose meaning or value. Example: Say 'apple' repeatedly. After a while, if you don't become crazy, you suddenly have no idea what 'apple' means.