“It’s not black and white, but many shades of gray.” You’ve probably heard this phrase before in different contexts. It’s usually applicable when someone is quickly jumping to a conclusion based on a dichotomy or series of categories. The main purpose of the phrase is to say that a dichotomy or group of categories does not include all possibilities. What we’re talking about is a spectrum, or multiple spectra (it’s a Latin word and that’s how they make it plural).
Even responses like yes and no have a spectrum. I am sure all of you have been asked a yes or no question and your only answer is “a little bit of both.” A spectrum is meant to blur the lines.
Spectra exist everywhere, from wealth to gender, energy resonance to personality. The categories and names that we give to describe these spectra only separate. It is only when we all admit that we belong to the same spectra that we can truly come together. We don’t all have to be in the same place on the spectrum, but unless you are willing to place yourself on that spectrum you will forever believe yourself to be separate. Join us on the spectra, find where you believe you fit best and then just accept that there won’t always be a word to describe it. One of my good friends identifies as homosexual but when you ask him if he’s gay, he’ll say “I’m not gay and I’m not straight; I’m Aaron.”
This is not a rant against categorization. Categorizing can be helpful to communicate ideas, it’s also a large portion of how we store and access memory. Instead, I want you to think about the names we give to categories. Names are not set in stone; language is fluid and we can always change the categories as our understanding changes.