# Computers and Cultures Build Meaning From Simple Differences by Bryant McGill > “Digital code and human language both build meaning from contrast. Zeros and ones, on and off, yes and no each carry information only in relation to their partner. From those simple differences, both computers and cultures construct worlds of complex meaning.” > **— Bryant McGill**, *Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream (Jun 2016)* ## Sources and Context - **Authoritative developed source:** [[livestreams/Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream|Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream]] — the Reminder reproduces the complete marked quotation object without alteration. For this workflow, the developed livestream document is the source authority. - **Broadcast passage:** In the June 1, 2016 broadcast, roughly 00:21:30 to 00:27:00, the speaker moves from polarity as the source of energy (positive and negative, on and off, zeros and ones, good and bad; see [[wiki/Binary Opposition|binary opposition]]) to [[wiki/Semiotic Twins|semiotic twins]] in [[wiki/Linguistics|linguistics]], [[wiki/Epistemology|epistemology]], [[wiki/Ontology|ontology]], the meaning of meaning ([[wiki/Semantics|semantics]]), symbolic memory ([[wiki/Symbolic Representation|symbolic representation]]), [[wiki/Parse Tree|parse trees]], and control over [[wiki/Lexicon|lexicons]]. - **Conceptual context:** The point joins the broadcast's zeros and ones to binary opposition in language: a bit and a word both carry information through contrast with an alternative. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Livestreams Collection|Livestreams Collection]] - **Article:** [[articles/Participation as an Information-Causal Principle|Participation as an Information-Causal Principle]] - **Article:** [[blog/20261016 - The Irksome Zero Matter in Semiotics|The Irksome Zero Matter in Semiotics]] - **Livestream:** [[livestreams/Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream|Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Binary Opposition|Binary Opposition]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “Digital code and human language both build meaning from contrast. Zeros and ones, on and off, yes and no each carry information only in relation to their partner. From those simple differences, both computers and cultures construct worlds of complex meaning.” — Bryant McGill, Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream (Jun 2016) https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-bryant-mcgill-computers-cultures-meaning-differences ```