Ying and Yang

Cliffs: I like the contrast.

Earlier this month I discovered this delicious chocolate bar.

Chocolate and chili . . . not a new combination (the Mayans and Aztecs are famous for this), but also not one that most non-foodies would come up with.

This month also marked the release of Girl Talk’s new album, All Day. (It's free! Go get it.)

I’ve written about Greg Gillis before, but his latest album might even surpass Feed the Animals. The reason I love his music is because, like the chili chocolate bar, it combines odd pairings that enhance the individual ingredients.

So, Black Sabbath adds some edge to 2Pac. The song “Loser” sounds good next to “Mr. Big Stuff.” Miley Cyrus provides good accompaniment for Dr. Dre. Pitbull’s “Hotel Room Service” adds a layer of meaning to “Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough.” And really, where else will you find an album that seamlessly incorporates Lady Gaga, Simon and Garfunkel, Jay-Z, Blue Oyster Cult, Cream, Phoenix, Ludacris, John Lennon, the Toadies, Usher, U2, The Notorious B.I.G., Cyndi Lauper, Peter Gabriel, and Foxy Brown?

On an obliquely related--though less tasty and toe-tapping--note, all of this reminded me of Jonathan Haidt’s TED Talk, “The Real Difference Between Conservatives and Liberals.” (This may help you understand the people you disagree with politically--it’s interesting.) After explaining some of the inherent differences between the two groups (their reactions to nudity, the kinds of dogs they want, their core values, etc.), Haidt argues that we ultimately need these contrasting ideologies to maintain a balance between change and stability.

The sweet and the spicy, the rock and the rap, the old and the new. It’s all about balance.