grey is dependent upon black and white

While loafing comfortably on the couch this morning, enjoying my morning dose of Arabian-born joe, I found myself watching a "old" episode of The District -- a show that was a noble attempt at being one of the more ethically-based on public television. Ironically situated in this nations capital, which may have had something to do with the show's brief shelf-life, the new commissioner of the DC police department seeks to right the wrongs that have seemingly hitherto gone unnoticed and/or unchecked. Hence, the noble impetus of the show.

The point that caught my attention was a comment made by one of the commissioner's subordinates. Her rant, which prompted mine, was simply this: "Is police work always about black and white with no room for grey? I can't buy that." (Oddly enough, her retort to her own concern was built upon black and white style thinking). Not more than a few moments later -- in the same scene (and camera angle) no less -- she adamentally accuses a fellow co-worker of making a "wrong" decision. . . actually, she openly says, "Temple was wrong" -- Temple being the character played by Sean Patrick Thomas. The irony is that the very thing she sought not to buy was the very thing she was passionately trying to sell.

This example points to an issue that has plagued our thinking for the past few centuries -- i.e., relativism. The overriding problem with holding a relativistic position is that you cannot hold it absolutely. In other words, such a position will not last in the long run. Those who hold relativistic views wind up contradicting themselves typically in the same breath. Not only that, but the moment they try and argue for their position is also the moment they lose steam in their onslaught. To say there are no absolutes is in and of itself an absolute assertion. Even if a relativist tries to wiesel himself out of this, the very fact that he's wieseling is evidence of some sort of standard (i.e., an absolute) he seeks to defend. But more importantly, a relativist should ultimately not care if you disagree with his position because your disagreement -- in his eyes -- is not an actual threat because there are no absolutes -- i.e., those things that actually pose a threat to his position. Yet, the fact of the matter is that a relativist does become uncomfortable the moment someone disagrees with them. The reason for the discomfort may come from the innate understanding that "grey" positions are ultimately dependent upon the absolute existence of black and white positions.