A Colorful World: From Childhood Wonder To Everyday Influence.

I remember growing up as a child, holding hands with my mom and walking down the streets of Kaduna. I couldn't help relieve the question that had been bothering me at that time by asking my mom, 'Why is the sky blue? Why are all the grasses green? And why are the sands the color they are? She just told me, 'That's how God wanted it to be.' Her response only satisfied my curiosity at that point, but the question lingered on in my mind.

Color affects us more than we realize, impacting our emotions, choices, behaviors, and views. In this article, I'll bring to our consciousness how different industries take advantage of the beautiful gift and effect of colors.

Ever noticed how food looks so delicious in ads? That's no accident! Our eyes can trick our taste buds. Just like the Roman foodie, Apicius said, "We eat first with our eyes."Restaurants and food ads use this to their advantage. When we see a colorful dish, our minds automatically think it'll taste great, even before we take a bite.

For example, the color red awakens primal desires and stimulates hunger by increasing heart rate, which is why it is rampant in the food industry. Green, symbolizing life, health, and nature, is often used to promote fresh, organic products, stimulating a sense of well-being. Yellow, which is often associated with happiness and optimism, frequently appears in breakfast-related advertisements, promising a delicious and reliable meal.

Even on a personal level, I find myself making decisions based on color. For instance, I usually opt for brown bread that appears slightly burnt because I feel that anything lighter isn't properly cooked or baked. This subconscious association highlights how color can shape our preferences and expectations, even before we take a bite.

I'm a huge fan of the saying, 'You don't need much to make a difference'. The use of color in traffic lights to control human behavior is something that will always remain dear to my heart. Traffic lights are a simple yet powerful example of how color alone can guide human action and decision-making in critical situations. Red, with its high visibility and association with danger, signals drivers to stop, tapping into our instinct for caution. Yellow/Amber as the case may be, serves as an intermediary, urging drivers to prepare for change, while green, a symbol of safety and permission, encourages forward movement, promoting a sense of calm and progress.

The incorporation of color to convey identity, inclusivity, and diversity in our communities is noteworthy. Movements such as the LGBTQ+ have adopted color to represent their values. The rainbow flag, for instance, is perhaps the most iconic use of color in a social movement. Designed by artist and activist Gilbert Baker in 1978, it became a powerful symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, representing pride, visibility, and a celebration of diversity. Each color on the flag holds a specific meaning that reflects the values of the movement, such as red for life, orange for healing, and green for nature.

However, while color can be a symbol of unity and empowerment, it can also be exploited in troubling ways. Recently, I came across an article about a disturbing trend where criminals use color to deceive unsuspecting individuals (https://fij.ng/article/why-are-you-wearing-our-colour-another-tactic-thieves-share-across-states/). In this scam, a person is approached and told that their combination of clothes is associated with a cult group, and they are pressured to "apologize" to the group's leader for wearing the colors. If they comply, they are often led into danger, never returning the same.

Beyond social movements and manipulation, color also plays a critical role in medicine and dentistry, particularly in the design of drugs and braces. In the pharmaceutical industry, color is used not just for aesthetics but for practical purposes. Pills are often color-coded to help patients distinguish between different medications, and dosages, reducing confusion, especially for individuals taking multiple medications. In dentistry, the use of colored braces has become popular, allowing patients, particularly younger ones, to personalize their orthodontic treatment. Colors can be chosen for fun or self-expression, turning a clinical experience into something that reflects individual identity and style.

Imagine for a moment that everything around us—the grass, the sky, the oceans, and even the sand—were all shades of blue. A world stripped of the diverse colors we know today. The vibrancy that gives life its beauty would be lost, and so too, perhaps, would be our inability to differentiate, to express, and to feel. A world without the contrast of black or the purity of white would rob us of perspective, depth, and clarity. Without the bright yellows of joy or the reds of passion, how would our emotions be communicated? How would we find meaning in the world around us?

This thought experiment reminds us that color is not just a visual experience; it's a language, a tool, and a form of expression that permeates every facet of our lives.

Jesse Bina