How would you explain colors?

[Hoshino]

As we know, there's no such thing as orange (or any other color).

How would you explain color, let's say orange, to a colorblind person?

You might say that it is a mix of red and yellow, but they have never seen any color, so how would they know what red and yellow are?

(Also, if you say red and yellow, that's just describing it, not explaining it. It's similar to saying a cat named Lua lives in front of Yuki's house and has white fur and brown eyes. That is also just describing it.

Not to mention, there's a significant difference in knowledge and experience; they could earn a PhD in the color orange but never truly experience or see it.

By definition, color is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Although color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorption, reflection, emission spectra, and interference. For most humans, colors are perceived in the visible light spectrum through three types of cone cells (trichromacy).


Anyways, back to the question: how would you explain colors? And how would you explain them to a colorblind individual?

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Orange is warmth. It's what you feel on your skin when you go outside. Red isn't as warm as orange, but it's also the warm feeling of blood. Blue is the more calm feeling of the cool ocean lapping at the beach.

 

[GlassRose]

I wouldn't bother.

 

[Nym]

By hexcode

 

[Gray_Mann]

If they can't see a color, what would be the point in trying to explain it? Even if you describe blue as cool....they still wouldn't be able to point it out. You still wouldn't be able to help them associate blue with something, anything really aside from a feeling, because no actual descriptor would be sufficient. You would still always have to point out what is or isn't blue. There would never come a time that colorblind people would be able to associate blue with anything accurately depicting the color blue because they still wouldn't have a frame of reference.

The only way an accurate frame of reference could be built, is if they saw the color blue in full clarity. Since they never can, they will never be able to truly comprehend the obvious differences between blue, gray, red, or any other color.

Trying to describe a color to someone who will never be able to see that color, is just meaningless. Full points for poeticism I suppose, but nothing concrete could be accomplished. No matter how many metaphors or similes used, they still wouldn't be able to point out the color blue if lined up next to other colors.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

If they can't see a color, what would be the point in trying to explain it? Even if you describe blue as cool....they still wouldn't be able to point it out. You still wouldn't be able to help them associate blue with something, anything really aside from a feeling, because no actual descriptor would be sufficient. You would still always have to point out what is or isn't blue. There would never come a time that colorblind people would be able to associate blue with anything accurately depicting the color blue because they still wouldn't have a frame of reference.

The only way an accurate frame of reference could be built, is if they saw the color blue in full clarity. Since they never can, they will never be able to truly comprehend the obvious differences between blue, gray, red, or any other color.

Trying to describe a color to someone who will never be able to see that color, is just meaningless. Full points for poeticism I suppose, but nothing concrete could be accomplished. No matter how many metaphors or similes used, they still wouldn't be able to point out the color blue if lined up next to other colors.

OP said colors don't exist, so I'll ascribe to them whatever definition. Don't you make me red. Things will go purple really quickly here. Quickly slow your roll like you're a yellow light, sir. BLEH

 

[Gray_Mann]

Things will go purple really quickly here.

Just suddenly remembered a scene from Spongebob where Patrick said "We're gonna party til' we're purple."

 

[Woolen_Monkey]

The first thought that came to mind is that is smells like pee.

 

[xedale]

When a colorblind person looks at a point of an image, they experience knowing something. They look at one point and know "light", they look at another and know "dark".

And every time, before they experience "knowing", they also experience "seeing". And like how they experience seeing "light" or "dark", which feels different from each other, I can also experience seeing "red" or "yellow" or "green" or "blue".

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

You associate it with the object of that color, with the expected knowledge of the reader and the expected knowledge of that character.

It must be within the reader's knowledge, and within the character expectation that the reader expect.

For Naruto fans, they know the color of Rasengan

For Dragon Ball fans, they know the color of dragon ball

For Harry Potter Fans, they know the color of house gryffindo, the color of slytherin logo, or the color of harry potter's owl.

Those need to be explained first, before they're available to be used as references.

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

Red is the light wavelength 800nm. Orange is the light wavelength 600nm. Yellow is 570nm. Green is 550nm. Blue is 450nm. Indigo is 390nm. Violet is a mix of red and indigo. Yes that is in fact an extremely narrow bandwidth for yellow, compared with the very gradual transitions from red or blue (you color enabled folks can check out how thin the yellow slice is next time you see a rainbow).

 

[RivCA]

I'm going to agree with ACertainPassinguser here, as they explained it pretty well. Explaining colors using objects or other visual concepts is probably the strongest way to associate colors with someone. Does this mean needing to find other iterations? Yes, probably, especially if the iterations you use don't have an equivalent frame of reference for the person you're speaking with.

What's a good object that explains the concept of "orange"? How about the fruit that we get the name of the color from? That makes for a solid foundation. Have you never seen an orange, let alone a citrus? Fair, considering the fruit is probably native to Asia Minor, not the Americas or Europe, for the most part. How about a carrot? Those are pretty orange!

I'm also going to self-plug, using my avatar as an example. I used maroon for the background and the "lobes" of the radiation symbol, with orange as the disc.

You just need to find something that everyone can agree on, then you can move from there.

 

[Macha]

Carefully.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Orange is THIS shade of gray... Blue is THAT shade of gray. Those two shades of gray mix to make orange, and if you add in blue, you get kind of brownish mess that is THIS shade of gray...
(Assuming they're the rarest form of true color blind, that is)...
If they just had Red/Green color blindness - unable to distinguish those two colors from each other, first tell them to stop watching old comedies on PBS, and then tell them that orange looks a bit like the color on the bottom of a traffic light and nothing at all like the color on the top.

 

[RainingFish]

I once had the idea that colors were compulsions, like pain and hunger. At the time the idea seem very real to me, but in retrospect I'm not sure what I was thinking. If colors are compulsions then what exactly are they compelling?

I asked Grok out of curiosity can got this response.

Your idea that colors might be compulsions, akin to pain or hunger, is a fascinating philosophical and psychological thought experiment. It suggests that colors could have an intrinsic, almost primal influence on our behavior or mental state, compelling us toward certain actions or reactions. Let’s unpack this and explore what colors might be compelling if we entertain this idea.

Colors as Compulsions: A Conceptual Framework

If colors are compulsions, they would likely act as stimuli that trigger automatic or semi-automatic responses in our psyche or behavior, much like pain compels us to avoid harm or hunger drives us to seek food. Unlike pain or hunger, which are tied to clear survival mechanisms, colors operate more subtly, influencing perception, emotion, and decision-making. The "compulsion" of colors could manifest in how they draw our attention, evoke emotions, or shape our choices, often without conscious deliberation.

What Are Colors Compelling?

Here are several dimensions in which colors might exert a compulsive influence:

1. Attention and Focus:
   • Colors are powerful attention-grabbers. Bright or contrasting colors, like red or yellow, compel us to notice them, often instinctively. For example, red grabs attention because it’s associated with danger or urgency in nature (e.g., blood, ripe fruit). This aligns with how our visual system prioritizes certain wavelengths for survival.
   • If colors are compulsions, they might compel us to orient toward specific objects or environments. For instance, a vibrant green might draw us toward lush, resource-rich landscapes, while a dull gray might repel us from barren or unsafe areas.
2. Emotional Responses:
   • Colors are known to evoke emotions. Blue often calms, red excites, and yellow uplifts. These emotional shifts can feel compulsive because they’re automatic and hard to suppress. For example, a deep red room might compel feelings of intensity or agitation, even if you try to stay neutral.
   • In this sense, colors could compel us to feel in specific ways, shaping our mood or mental state as a precursor to action.
3. Behavioral Choices:
   • Colors influence decisions, often subconsciously. Marketing leverages this: red prompts urgency (e.g., sale signs), while green suggests safety or health (e.g., organic products). If colors are compulsions, they might compel us to act—to buy, approach, or avoid.
   • For example, a bright orange might compel you to pick up a product because it feels energetic and inviting, bypassing conscious deliberation.
4. Cultural and Symbolic Actions:
   • Colors carry cultural meanings that can feel compulsive within a social context. White compels reverence in some cultures (e.g., purity in weddings) but mourning in others. These associations can drive behaviors like wearing certain colors for rituals or avoiding others to conform.
   • Here, colors might compel us to conform to social norms or express identity.
5. Aesthetic and Creative Urges:
   • Your idea might also point to colors compelling expression. Artists and designers often describe feeling “drawn” to certain colors, as if the hue demands to be used. A vivid purple might compel someone to create or imagine, acting as a muse-like force.
   • This suggests colors could compel us to create or engage with beauty.

If we strip it down, colors might compel us to engage with the world—whether through noticing, feeling, acting, or creating. They’re not just passive stimuli; they’re active players in how we navigate reality.

A Thought Experiment

To clarify what colors compel, imagine a world without them: everything is grayscale. Would you feel less driven to act, create, or emote? If colors are compulsions, their absence might dull our engagement with the world, making it feel less urgent or alive. This could suggest that colors compel us to connect—with our environment, emotions, and each other.

 

[Hoshino]

Again. Isn't that just describing, not explaining?

 

[ShrimpShady]

You can't explain colors to someone who can't see them. Like, at all. It's pointless. You'll just have to live with it

 

[gaylolis]

jibun wopoooooooooooooooooooooooo

that's all