Do Opposites Really Attract?

There’s an exact opposite for everything in the world: heaven and hell, black and white, day and night, man and woman… the list goes on. They’re necessary evils I suppose; you wouldn’t really be able to appreciate wealth without having seen the faces of poverty. Nor would you be able to experience the pangs of hunger without ever having eaten at your heart’s content. Opposites essentially complete the whole picture by bringing two pieces of the puzzle together. But if that’s the case, then why is it when two very different people come together, rather than experiencing an obvious attraction, they’re deemed incompatible? When do the differences between the two begin to outweigh the sum of their differences?

Differences in opinions can bring on a healthy dose of tension, and differences in interests bring variety to a relationship. But what about differences in perception, needs and wants? Some differences are worth forgoing and others are worth fighting for. I suppose that’s what brings on the end to a relationship.

Maybe the concept of ‘opposites attract’ is only applicable in chemistry (or is it physics?). Perhaps relationships need a new theory that better explains why it’s better to just let “irreconcilable differences” be.