While many people want A, I like B. “Contrast” as presentation criterion
September 1, 2016 4:45 PM Subscribe
Kid is doing a presentation at school. All his friends are doing “before and after”. He wants to know what other types of contrast there are. Dad is stuck, but turns to Me-Fi for ideas. Apart from “before and after” (DIY shows, TV shopping) what else could work well?
I guess it depends what kind of project it is, but when you mention TV shows, I immediately think of those mom-swap shows, where people from two different environments are switched and you watch them try to navigate a new world.
There's pro and con, where you can take the same idea or concept and look at it as a positive thing or a negative thing. I don't know how old your kid is or, again, the context of the project, but I think about building a new mall in town--is it great that there are all these new stores and places to hang out, or sad that we're losing houses/land, selling out to commercialism, or whatever?
Or better/worse, like a sales presentation where you show what's so great about your product and what makes the competition less awesome.
A little more context might help, though!
posted by gideonfrog at 4:54 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
There's pro and con, where you can take the same idea or concept and look at it as a positive thing or a negative thing. I don't know how old your kid is or, again, the context of the project, but I think about building a new mall in town--is it great that there are all these new stores and places to hang out, or sad that we're losing houses/land, selling out to commercialism, or whatever?
Or better/worse, like a sales presentation where you show what's so great about your product and what makes the competition less awesome.
A little more context might help, though!
posted by gideonfrog at 4:54 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
How about food:
Savory vs sweet
Breakfast vs dinner
Carnivore vs vegetarian
posted by monotreme at 4:55 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Savory vs sweet
Breakfast vs dinner
Carnivore vs vegetarian
posted by monotreme at 4:55 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it'd help to hear a little bit more about the presentation guidelines-- it's still not 100% clear exactly what type of thing Kid is supposed to do/ present/ focus on?
In the absence of specifics, have you considered contrasting settings/ contexts (+following through associated logical implications for whatever the actual presentation focus is)?
X in the summer vs. in the winter.
X in the air, vs. underwater.
X on earth, vs. in space.
X in the year 1000 or 0, vs. in 2000.
posted by Bardolph at 4:55 PM on September 1, 2016
In the absence of specifics, have you considered contrasting settings/ contexts (+following through associated logical implications for whatever the actual presentation focus is)?
X in the summer vs. in the winter.
X in the air, vs. underwater.
X on earth, vs. in space.
X in the year 1000 or 0, vs. in 2000.
posted by Bardolph at 4:55 PM on September 1, 2016
OR: X as it happens on a macro scale, vs. analogous x on a microscopic scale (predation, reproduction, material phase changes, etc.)
posted by Bardolph at 4:57 PM on September 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Bardolph at 4:57 PM on September 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
Crowds vs solitude
Noise vs quiet
Bright sunny days vs darkness
Money and material things vs spirituality and lack of attachment
Hot vs cold
Morning people vs night owls
posted by Michele in California at 5:05 PM on September 1, 2016
Noise vs quiet
Bright sunny days vs darkness
Money and material things vs spirituality and lack of attachment
Hot vs cold
Morning people vs night owls
posted by Michele in California at 5:05 PM on September 1, 2016
Comparing two things that are alike but have crucial differences?
wind power vs solar
the year 1500 BC in Peru as compared to Egypt
posted by bunderful at 5:06 PM on September 1, 2016
wind power vs solar
the year 1500 BC in Peru as compared to Egypt
posted by bunderful at 5:06 PM on September 1, 2016
If it's just one thing being contrasted, the one I love is:
In light, the presence of all colors = white; the absence of all colors = black
In paint, the absence of all colors = white; the presence of all colors = black
posted by janey47 at 5:12 PM on September 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
In light, the presence of all colors = white; the absence of all colors = black
In paint, the absence of all colors = white; the presence of all colors = black
posted by janey47 at 5:12 PM on September 1, 2016 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: It’s not his usual teacher, so he may have gotten the instructions a bit garbled; however, it seems like the idea is to introduce forms of contrast, not actual contrasts themselves. So “before and after” fits, while “tea vs coffee” doesn’t.
posted by Prof Iterole at 5:21 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Prof Iterole at 5:21 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Lucky and unlucky
Planned and unplanned
Rare and common
posted by showbiz_liz at 5:24 PM on September 1, 2016
Planned and unplanned
Rare and common
posted by showbiz_liz at 5:24 PM on September 1, 2016
The human brain seems to be hard-wired to categorise the world into these opposing pairs. Yin/yang, black/white, rich/poor, hot/cold, male/female, fact/fiction, good/evil etc etc ad infinitum. They're called antonyms.
If you want to get meta, I think the opposite of an antonym is a synonym?
posted by Leon at 5:26 PM on September 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you want to get meta, I think the opposite of an antonym is a synonym?
posted by Leon at 5:26 PM on September 1, 2016 [3 favorites]
Abstract & concrete (/levels of representation)
Facts & opinions
Moral & amoral disagreement
posted by cogitron at 5:27 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Facts & opinions
Moral & amoral disagreement
posted by cogitron at 5:27 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Random vs. ordered vs. purposeful
sacred vs. profane
visible vs. hidden
living vs. nonliving vs. dead.
posted by jamjam at 5:34 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
sacred vs. profane
visible vs. hidden
living vs. nonliving vs. dead.
posted by jamjam at 5:34 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: As a scientist who tries to make presentations interesting, my go-to tends to be common sense expectation vs. studied scientific explanation.
posted by Schismatic at 5:44 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Schismatic at 5:44 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
What about orders of magnitude?
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:54 PM on September 1, 2016
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:54 PM on September 1, 2016
substitution of ingredients?
measuring effect of environmental variables?
theoretical vs applied?
professional vs amateur?
I'm not sure I get this assignment
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:55 PM on September 1, 2016
measuring effect of environmental variables?
theoretical vs applied?
professional vs amateur?
I'm not sure I get this assignment
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:55 PM on September 1, 2016
Best answer: I'm also not sure I get this... but maybe ...
before / after
in / out
with / without
for / against
present / future
posted by bunderful at 6:00 PM on September 1, 2016
before / after
in / out
with / without
for / against
present / future
posted by bunderful at 6:00 PM on September 1, 2016
fantasy/realism: Harry Potter vs. some less wizardy school-aged protagonist-having book that's still fiction
fiction/nonfiction: favorite story book (Maniac McGee? Harry Potter again?) vs. favorite non-fiction book (dinosaurs? whatever he likes)
family / friends: how we behave with parents or siblings at home vs. how we behave at school; how people act toward us if they are friends or teachers vs. if they are parents or siblings
animal / human: what are the responsibilities and powers that a dog has (wild or domestic) vs. a human
English / another language: If he's studying a foreign language, are there words in that language that don't exist in English? Are there idiom expressions that differ? Verb forms/sentence forms?
Cultivated/wild: what is the difference in effort, result, risks, and experience between a yard or park and an uncultivated woodland, mountain, or other wild place?
caretaker/cared for: How I see things vs. How Mom & Dad see things (lunch time - I eat and like/don't like different foods; they cook & clean up, pay for food, get to choose)
inexperienced/inexperienced: how school was the first day vs. now
rich/poor: how school is for me vs. how it is for someone else with fewer resources
natural/artificial
kid-friendly/not kid friendly
posted by amtho at 6:02 PM on September 1, 2016
fiction/nonfiction: favorite story book (Maniac McGee? Harry Potter again?) vs. favorite non-fiction book (dinosaurs? whatever he likes)
family / friends: how we behave with parents or siblings at home vs. how we behave at school; how people act toward us if they are friends or teachers vs. if they are parents or siblings
animal / human: what are the responsibilities and powers that a dog has (wild or domestic) vs. a human
English / another language: If he's studying a foreign language, are there words in that language that don't exist in English? Are there idiom expressions that differ? Verb forms/sentence forms?
Cultivated/wild: what is the difference in effort, result, risks, and experience between a yard or park and an uncultivated woodland, mountain, or other wild place?
caretaker/cared for: How I see things vs. How Mom & Dad see things (lunch time - I eat and like/don't like different foods; they cook & clean up, pay for food, get to choose)
inexperienced/inexperienced: how school was the first day vs. now
rich/poor: how school is for me vs. how it is for someone else with fewer resources
natural/artificial
kid-friendly/not kid friendly
posted by amtho at 6:02 PM on September 1, 2016
Inside/Outside
Subjective/Objective
Feelings/Thoughts
Thoughts/Behaviors
Living/Dead
Natural/Artificial
Wet/Dry
Awake/Asleep
posted by lazuli at 6:50 PM on September 1, 2016
Subjective/Objective
Feelings/Thoughts
Thoughts/Behaviors
Living/Dead
Natural/Artificial
Wet/Dry
Awake/Asleep
posted by lazuli at 6:50 PM on September 1, 2016
Near/Far
Close/Away
Hot/Cold
Bumpy/Smooth
Sweet/Sour
Short/Tall
Am I getting close?
posted by Toddles at 6:52 PM on September 1, 2016
Close/Away
Hot/Cold
Bumpy/Smooth
Sweet/Sour
Short/Tall
Am I getting close?
posted by Toddles at 6:52 PM on September 1, 2016
Best answer: Insider vs. outsider views/behaviors
Evidence-based vs. intuition-based
High vs. low resource situations
Order vs. chaos
Communal vs. individualistic
Simple vs. intricate
Optimism vs. pessimism
posted by lakeroon at 7:10 PM on September 1, 2016
Evidence-based vs. intuition-based
High vs. low resource situations
Order vs. chaos
Communal vs. individualistic
Simple vs. intricate
Optimism vs. pessimism
posted by lakeroon at 7:10 PM on September 1, 2016
Perspective? Like an ant versus giraffe's view?
posted by raccoon409 at 8:02 PM on September 1, 2016
posted by raccoon409 at 8:02 PM on September 1, 2016
Best answer: Ok, I think I understand your question (hopefully).
upsides and downsides
arguments and contrarguments
imagination vs reality
popular view vs scientific view
posted by M. at 10:05 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
upsides and downsides
arguments and contrarguments
imagination vs reality
popular view vs scientific view
posted by M. at 10:05 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: expectations vs real outcomes
small scale effects vs global effects
individual vs universal
theory vs practice
wishful thinking vs what actually happens
small scale vs large scale
early consequences vs late consequences
posted by M. at 10:12 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
small scale effects vs global effects
individual vs universal
theory vs practice
wishful thinking vs what actually happens
small scale vs large scale
early consequences vs late consequences
posted by M. at 10:12 PM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Talked to kiddo, who confirms the activity is about types of contrast. M's answers (directly above) seem very close to what is being asked.
Does anyone have more examples in this vein?
posted by Prof Iterole at 11:05 PM on September 1, 2016
Does anyone have more examples in this vein?
posted by Prof Iterole at 11:05 PM on September 1, 2016
Cheap/expensive.
Hand made/machine made
Old fashioned/modern
Analog/digital
Weak/strong
Sick/healthy
Oil/water
Solid/liquid/gas
posted by SemiSalt at 4:38 AM on September 2, 2016
Hand made/machine made
Old fashioned/modern
Analog/digital
Weak/strong
Sick/healthy
Oil/water
Solid/liquid/gas
posted by SemiSalt at 4:38 AM on September 2, 2016
Best answer: Ask culture [approach] vs Guess culture [approach]
risk vs benefit
literal meaning vs real meaning
the literal meaning vs the subtext
cost vs value
posted by M. at 10:59 AM on September 2, 2016
risk vs benefit
literal meaning vs real meaning
the literal meaning vs the subtext
cost vs value
posted by M. at 10:59 AM on September 2, 2016
Best answer: myth vs fact
short-term vs long-term
the easy way vs the hard way (or, the right way)
the traditional solution vs the innovative solution
the optimistic view vs the pessimistic view
the direct way vs the roundabout way
posted by M. at 11:13 AM on September 2, 2016
short-term vs long-term
the easy way vs the hard way (or, the right way)
the traditional solution vs the innovative solution
the optimistic view vs the pessimistic view
the direct way vs the roundabout way
posted by M. at 11:13 AM on September 2, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 4:54 PM on September 1, 2016