Color Identity of the Sins
General forum
Posted on Jan. 25, 2019, 3:31 p.m. by MindAblaze
Hi every body! (Hi Dr Nick!)
I haven’t been very active around here lately, mostly living life. My magic group has killed my competitive drive, and the only desire I have to win is when I feel like trolling them, or making the one guy rage quit. Lol.
Annnnyway, I’ve come here today as part of an external project I’m working on using WUBRG Color Theory as my basis (obviously twisting it enough to avoid any potential cease and desist letters.) What I’m asking for today is your opinions on what color combinations best personify the Seven Deadly Sins.
It seems clear to me that black will be central to them all, as sinning is (usually) done with a selfish goal. I think that’s kind of the point. Take Greed for example.
What I’d like to see, is the seven sins labeled with colours, in order of relevance (1-5,) and a justification for your choices. For example;
Envy - Envy comes from a place of want. You have something I value, and I want to take it from you. Knowing the value, and stealing it to me are both very , so for me Blue is the primary color for Envy. Some might say Red because emotion is a strong motivator for envy, and Act of Treason et al fits. Some might say green because Green with a Envy, and alphas always want the top spot. After that black for the selfish nature of want for the sake of wanting, and finally white because white is about wanting a more honorable, Utopian society for everyone, not so much because someone else has it but because everyone deserves it.
Alternatively, it has been brought to my attention that it may be as valuable, if not more, to look at this from the perspective of “How does each color personify each of the sins?” This would be super valuable too, so if you prefer to answer that one, all the power to you.
Anyway. I’m excited to hear what your thoughts are on the matter. As always, thanks so much! Your input is valued and appreciated!
MindAblaze says... #4
You make a valid point cdkime. This is exactly the sort of reason I brought this here. I need more perspectives and while I get some consistency asking the question I did, adding the question you’ve posed brings an entire other dimension to it.
I’m world building right now, and my characters conflicts will provide them with opportunities to live virtuously or in sin, and will be tempted/supportive of tribes that are aligned with some vice.
Having an idea of what colours are more likely to commit what sin is helpful, but the reverse; how would each color commit a given sin makes a lot of practical sense.
January 25, 2019 4:32 p.m.
landofMordor says... #5
Hm. Great questions.
Sloth seems most strongly concentrated in UG, or maybe GW, the colors most likely to become insular and solipsistic without ever turning their attention outwards.
Wrath has got to be RW, letting one’s emotions control them.
Pride can be in all colors — but each color applies a different adjective. U is intellectual pride, W is cultural pride, B is personal pride, G is physical or primal pride, and R is a solipsistic pride. This makes sense, given that Christian theology generally holds Pride to be the “root sin” that causes all others. (That might be an interesting way to anchor this theory.)
Gluttony seems like R’s impulsiveness, but G would also indulge in “too much of a good thing”.
I’ll revisit the rest later, maybe. For your world building, I wonder if the dichotomy between “virtue/sin” makes sense from a story perspective. I mean, when given that choice, I don’t know many people who’d say “yeah I’d take the sin of gluttony over chastity any day”. Traditionally, the reason sin is appealing is that it’s never presented as such, but that instead it’s seen as a pathway to happiness/success/power/etc, that only is revealed to be hollow and false after it’s too late.
Just my two cents. This is fascinating, so I’ll be back when I have a bit more time, but good luck!
January 26, 2019 9:50 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #6
landofMordor Yeah it’s more of a “all these options seem good,” but sneaking intentions into the consequences, if that makes sense. Wording the choices so the attitudes are visible, but still sound appealing. Like you said, who is going to actively choose sloth over diligence, unless being lazy/complacent had a really practical justification.
January 26, 2019 7:44 p.m.
I think green would be gluttony because as every other color’s inevitabl demise is the mana screw green always has more than enough. If you’ve ever played elves you know you always have more creatures, mana and power than you’ll ever need. In this game I see mana as food and or welth (I believe it’s Hebrew for food as well.) so thus green not only produces enough, but too much. I feel letting things decay instead of share or storing is the defining difference between prosperity and gluttony.
Caerwyn says... #2
I would argue you are approaching the question backward. Your question currently is putting the colours first, and asking "what colour is each Sin?" I would argue that the Sins are generally applicable--an applicability that has cemented their position in culture and theology for centuries. A more accurate way to look at the question might be to put the Sin first--"How would the Sin be represented in each colour?"
Let's take Lust, for example. Traditionally, we think of lust as overwhelming physical attraction, but that's only one component of the Sin. More accurately, Lust is an overwhelming desire for something, it need not be physical.
Red, the colour of emotion, might fit the traditional definition of lust, but each colour will have its own iteration. Blue might lust after knowledge; Green might lust for a more naturalistic word; White might lust for order; Black might lust for personal power.
Just my thoughts on the approach, which may or may not be helpful, depending on your intended use.
January 25, 2019 3:56 p.m.