Marlon and Riri sat in a corner of the library, surrounded by piles of books they had gathered since the morning. The sunlight that slipped through the tall windows illuminated the open pages in front of them. Outside, the world continued to move in its relentless rhythm. But in here, they were trying to stop time, attempting to understand something that had always felt elusive: why is the world always portrayed in two contrasting colors—black and white?
Before starting to read, Riri opened a bread wrapper from her bag. "Want some? I bought it at the cafeteria earlier. It's still warm."
Marlon shook his head. "I'm still full. But if you don't finish it, I'll help."
Riri chuckled. "Always the same. You don't want to take it first, but if there's any left, you'll grab it right away."
Marlon just smiled and then began flipping through the pages of The Way of Heaven by Xiaoping Wang. He read slowly, letting each word sink into his mind.
"Why do people prefer to simplify the world? Good and bad. Right and wrong. As if there's no room in between," he muttered without taking his eyes off the page he was reading.
Riri chewed slowly, looking at her brother with a thoughtful gaze. "Yet, we've already started to see that life isn't that simple. Why do people choose to hide its complexity?"
Marlon read a paragraph that caught his attention:
"It's not us who are wrong, but the world. But in the end, we're confused about who's wrong and who's right."
The quote echoed in his mind. The world had created a narrative that everything must be clearly categorized. If something is good, it must be accepted. If something is bad, it must be rejected. But what about the things in between?
"Maybe because it's easier that way," Riri finally said. "Imagine if we were taught from a young age that the world is complicated. Maybe we'd always be uncertain in making decisions. And people don't like uncertainty."
Marlon put his book down for a moment and stared at the library ceiling. "So, it's not because they don't know, but because they prefer the simpler way?"
Riri picked up another book, Moral Tribes by Joshua Greene. "Look at this," she said, pointing to a paragraph. "He explains how humans tend to think in simple moral categories because our brains are wired for it. When faced with complex dilemmas, people prefer to choose the answer that's easiest to understand rather than digging deeper."
Marlon quickly read through that part. "So, could it be that this is more about our instincts than a deliberate attempt to hide something?"
Riri shrugged. "Maybe mostly yes, but it's also possible there are other reasons. It could be that this black-and-white concept is deliberately kept to maintain stability in the world. If people start questioning everything, maybe the existing system will collapse."
"Like what Jonathan Haidt says in The Righteous Mind," added Marlon, reaching for the book from the pile. "He says that humans are naturally divided into different moral groups, and each group maintains simple narratives to preserve loyalty. If everything becomes gray, the boundaries between those groups will blur. Maybe that's what many people fear."
Riri glanced at the watch on her wrist. "It's almost four o'clock. Do we still want to read here, or should we find another atmosphere?"
Marlon paused for a moment. "How about we get coffee first? Too many theories are making my brain overheated."
"Agreed," Riri closed her book and organized the pile they had taken from the shelf. "Let's go to the café next to the campus. I want iced coffee."
They walked out of the library, along the campus corridor that was starting to empty. Some students were still sitting on the benches, busy with their notes or simply enjoying the afternoon that was slowly changing colors.
When they arrived at the café, the familiar smell of coffee immediately greeted them. Riri quickly ordered her favorite iced coffee, while Marlon chose a black coffee without sugar.
"You still like your coffee bitter, huh?" Riri raised an eyebrow.
Marlon shrugged. "Of course, anything that's originally bitter should remain bitter. No need to manipulate it with sugar to make it sweet."
"Very poetic," Riri chuckled.
They sat in a corner of the café, silently enjoying their coffee for a moment. Then, Marlon brought up the conversation again.
"But the strangest thing for me is, why is it that when we start to realize the world is gray, we actually get more confused? Shouldn't this make us wiser?"
Riri looked at Marlon seriously. "Because since we were little, we were taught the opposite. Once we realize that teaching doesn't align with reality, we lose our grip. We want to reject black and white, but we don't yet know how to properly understand this gray world."
There was a brief silence. The sound of people talking and the clink of spoons touching glasses could be heard around them.
Marlon stirred his coffee slowly. "So, if it's not the world's fault, and it's not ours either, then who is right?"
Riri sighed. "Maybe there's no right or wrong. Maybe the right thing is how we try to understand the world, not just accepting what we're taught."
Marlon smiled faintly. "So, we have to keep searching for answers, huh?"
Riri nodded. "And maybe we'll never find absolute answers. But at least, we won't stop asking."
In a small café with a classic atmosphere, Riri and Marlon sat at a table near the window. The strong aroma of black coffee and the acoustic music accompanied their discussion. In front of them, two cups of coffee were still steaming, and between them lay the philosophy and religion books they had just borrowed from the library.