The problem with putting something into print is that it becomes “black and white.” Yes, I know that most newspapers and magazines have this new technology called color, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Here’s a good example of what I’m trying to say. The article breaks wine drinkers into six categories. I thought this was a godsend, because wondering what kind of wine drinker I am is what usually keeps me awake at night. But now, thanks to Project Genome, I can sleep peacefully.

As I’ve stated before, I’m a complex guy. I really don’t fit into one of Genome’s categories. More accurately, I fit into all of the categories. There are times when I’m overwhelmed. I’d like to think that I’m a savvy shopper, but I can also be a satisfied sipper. Even worse, there are undoubtedly people out there that will dub me an image seeker. Does anyone else have a problem with this?

Here’s another article that nicely divides wines into eight categories (4 for red, 4 for white). This is a little less insulting, because it’s actually trying to help the overwhelmed break through to the illustrious enthusiast. However, I think that deciding whether a wine is oaked or unoaked is rather simplistic, and labeling a wine mild-mannered only stirs visions of Clark Kent.

The issue of black and white most certainly delves deeper than the wine industry. Today’s world is full of distinctions that not only define you, but how others perceive you. Are you Republican or Democrat? Christian or Buddhist? Coke or Pepsi? Smooth or Crunchy?

Today I am calling for a change. My new favorite color is gray. We need to take all this black and white thinking and put it into a paint shaker for a few years and see what happens.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am and is filed under Commentary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.