very well put.

Black and white are the two extremes, of which there is only one of each. Whereas grey is a variant mixture of darks and lights.. so this is not numb, it is not unemotional or lacking, it is a description of many levels of emotion, enjoyment even anger. It is being able to see that things are not as straight forward as they might seem at first, or as we so quickly assume.

It is a description of that man on the corner, just someone random. He's smiling and talking to someone. "He must be happy" you say. That would be black and white thinking but if yu look closer, He isn't entirely happy at all. he works in an industry where he has to cater to customers and his smile is nothing more than a way to make the customer comfortable. At home, his child is sick, his wife is stressed out because she's once again missed another day due to this sick child. He's got bills coming out of his ears and he's in debt up to his eyeballs. So... this is a small fraction of his life but as you can see the smile you see, is not black nor white, it is just a smile and to interpret it so presumptuously would be misleading.

This is how life is, this is how we must learn to view everything. People do not typically hate or love, nor are good or bad but all of these things and many variations on that theme. Someone criticizes you does not Hate you, but sees a flaw in something of your behavior, demeanor or methods. Nothing is as simple or straight forward as we make it.