Moths and Cockroaches

On the way home from work the other day, I caught the tail end of an interview on NPR. The interviewee was discussing moths and cockroaches. Curious about the context of this topic, I tuned in. He was saying that moths fly to the light while cockroaches scurry from the light and look for dark places. It turns out that he was discussing stage actors. The interviewee believed that actors tend to be one or the other. He, as the director or teacher (I never did find out which), sometimes had to literally move an actor into the spotlight. It was the only way an actor could become the lead. And it started me thinking: is this true in all walks of life? Are we either moths or a cockroaches? Are we instinctually drawn to either light or darkness? And can a cockroach become a moth?

I think we all know individuals who tend to be attracted to possibilities. They have an aura of optimism. Their glasses tend to have a rosy tint. And, when their idealism is tempered with realism, they attract others to them.

On the contrary, we probably also know individuals who dash into dark corners when the spotlight shines. They congregate and multiply. And, as is true for the cockroach, the attraction to darkness is a survival mechanism. In the light they are vulnerable and exposed. Simply shining more and brighter light makes them retreat faster. Perhaps dimming the light, and understanding the fears that are sending them into sinister places, will make the world more hospitable.