On Apples and Oranges

So for the University of Chicago's writing supplement, I had to compare apples and oranges. At first, I was a bit dumbstruck. But soon, I found the perfect way to go about comparing the two, which goes much deeper than you'd expect. Without further ado, here is my essay On Apples and Oranges: The Equivalences and Dichotomies.

The idiom “apples and oranges” is often used to describe two objects (or ideas) that couldn’t be any more radically different. While at first this idiom appears to make sense at a glance (apples are red and, for the most part, sweet while oranges are orange and, for the most part, sour), once you begin to think about it. On the surface, it is a simple innocent. But once you examine it from a deeper perspective, you begin to see the dark, twisted origin and meaning behind it.

The common apple (Malus domestica) is a member of the Rosaceae (or rose) family. It is believed to be among the first tree to be cultivated by humans. It became a staple of European and Asian diet and remains one to this very day. Apples have made appearances in ancient Greek mythology (as Eris’s apple of discord). Some have argued that the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge in the Bible’s Garden of Eden is actually an apple. Thus, apples are symbols of immortality, youth, temptation, and sin. They are often red or green and are typically sweet. Apples typically grow and are cultivated in colder climate, such as New York, Washington, and Michigan.

The common orange (Citrus sinensis) is a member of the Rutaceae, or citrus, family. It is a hybrid between pomelo and mandarin and has also been cultivated since ancient times. Since they are hybrids, many orange trees are infertile, so it’s ironic that orange blossoms are symbols of fertility. They also symbolize happiness, love, and marriage. Oranges do need an abundance of rain and sunshine to germinate and they grow in more temperate climates, such as in Florida. It has higher source of vitamin C than apples.

The irony of it all is that in many languages, the word for oranges derives from the word for apples. Many languages actually refer to the orange as a Chinese apple. So maybe they’re not so different after all. Now let’s focus on the similarities rather the dichotomies. Both are fruits and derive from the same kingdom, class, and division. Both are more or less spherical, have similar mass, and contain an outer layer of “skin”. Both grown on trees and have seeds inside them. Both are a vital source of fiber and magnesium. Both grown in orchards and can be made into juice.

A saying that comes to mind when comparing apples and oranges is the Spanish saying “¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” which translates to “The people united will never be defeated!” This brings up the important question: what drives people apart more than anything? It is their differences and their inability to overcome them, especially when they are brainwashed to believe that anyone who believes anything different that their own is branded as an enemy. Thus, the creators of the idiom “apples and oranges” were the destroyers of men. They made the general populous focus on the differences that separated them (which were very little) instead of the common factors that united them (which were abundant). By keeping them fragmented and separated, they were able to conquer them and maintain their undisputed power. By keeping the people ignorant of their similarities, they were able to manipulate them and force them against each other, to slaughter and kill one another indiscriminately. Focusing on the differences of “apples” and “oranges” made one group feel superior than the other. Throughout the entire history of humanity, using this boogeyman tactic worked, and it drove brother against brother.  Some examples of this happening are the American Civil War, all genocides (such as the Holocaust, Soviet Purges, Colonization of the Americas, and Armenian genocide), lynchings of blacks in the south, and modern-day terrorist attacks. They realized that if the “apples” and “oranges” were to ever find out how similar they truly were and unite together, the leaders would have to abdicate their power to the people.

            The effects of this idiom are evident. It has driven human against human for millennia and has spurred ignorance and hatred. The idiom signifies how often we focus on the little, minute differences between one another (such as religion, ethnicity, political leanings, whether you leave your toilet seat up or down, et cetera) and how much that drives us apart. If, instead, we were to focus on our similarities (such as how we all have a layer of skin covering our juicy innards), we’d be much more advanced and there would be much less hatred and violence. Who knew we could have learned so much about human nature from apples and oranges?