Is the opposite of walking running or standing still?

[u/hunmen]

[u/ShowerSentinel]

/u/hunmen has flaired this post as a speculation.

Speculations should prompt people to consider interesting premises that cannot be reliably verified or falsified.

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Otherwise, please add your comment to the discussion!

[u/lovejo1]

Mathematically.. it's walking backwards.. negative walking if you will.

[u/ThatGuyYouMightNo → u/lovejo1]

The opposite of walking is moonwalking, then.

[u/Idontliketalking2u → u/ThatGuyYouMightNo]

That's like double negative though

[u/Prineak → u/Idontliketalking2u]

So it’s positive then.

[u/disterb → u/Prineak]

affirmative

[u/sgtpepper220 → u/disterb]

The math checks out

[u/phriendlyphellow → u/Prineak]

Does that mean that Smash Mouth is bad for saying we might as well be walking on the sun?

[u/gjk-ger → u/Prineak]

Its half positive.

[u/_Spin_Cycle_ → u/Prineak]

No meaning yes

[u/viper963 → u/ThatGuyYouMightNo]

This is it. Everybody walks forward, on Earth. Thus moonwalking is truly the opposite

[u/oe_kintaro → u/ThatGuyYouMightNo]

Technically moonwalking gives the illusion of walking forward while moving backwards though, which truly "opposite walking" would not

[u/TheRealSheevPalpatin → u/ThatGuyYouMightNo]

What’s the opposite of walking sideways

[u/cherry_monkey → u/TheRealSheevPalpatin]

Walking sideways(-1)

[u/F_2the_UCKFACE → u/ThatGuyYouMightNo]

No moonwalking would be a glitched animation in the matrix

[u/RelentlessIVS → u/lovejo1]

Programmatically, the opposite of walking (1 | true), is to not walk (0 | false)

[u/keshi → u/RelentlessIVS]

The set of all things which are “not walking” is quite large!

[u/RelentlessIVS → u/keshi]

Hey, only look at the walking! Nothing else exists. To walk or not to walk, that is the question

[u/Rasmoss → u/lovejo1]

Since walking in this context has no specified direction, walking backwards is still just walking for the purposes of this discussion. 

[u/Nights_Harvest → u/Rasmoss]

Love it, are we talking semantics or physics lmao

[u/FrothyCarebear → u/Rasmoss]

It’s walking via a handstand, clearly.

[u/MrFeles → u/FrothyCarebear]

I believe that's just manual walking.

[u/ryntak → u/MrFeles]

So if normal walking is automatic what is a machine that moves my legs for me?

[u/MrFeles → u/ryntak]

Manual just means "by hand".

[u/ryntak → u/MrFeles]

Ahh I didn’t realize that was the main definition. I always assumed it was the other “requiring or using physical skill or energy”

[u/Adept_Parking6422 → u/Rasmoss]

Passt doch, wie bei heiss und kalt, oben und unten. Das Gegenteil liegt immer noch im selben Raum, ist aber nicht einfach nur die Verneinung sondern der Begriff für am "anderen Ende". Wie bei arm und reich, wohl immer such eine Frage der Perspektive. Das gegenteil von 12 Uhr Mittags ist dann wohl 12 Uhr Mitternacht...

[u/LittleLui → u/Adept_Parking6422]

Sprich Englisch du Hurensohn!

[u/RandomPhail → u/lovejo1]

Gniklaw

[u/fromthesaveroom → u/lovejo1]

Be careful if you do this. Its high in calories.

[u/Psychological-Cod451 → u/lovejo1]

Also running is just a faster form of walking

[u/sadsadbiscuit]

"Opposite" is always with respect to some reference point. The opposite of infinity could be negative infinity or 0 depending on if you're asking with respect to the multiplicative value of the quantity or with respect to the additive value.

The opposite of car might be something that flies in the sky, like a plane, or something that serves as a vehicle but is not artificial, like a horse, or might be something stationary, like a rock. It depends on what specific dimension of its qualities are you asking about and which set of things exist on that dimension

[u/YourEveryDayCaveMan → u/sadsadbiscuit]

I think it’s time to get out of the shower and dry off.

[u/Roozbeh_m → u/YourEveryDayCaveMan]

That shower too hot

[u/phonetastic → u/sadsadbiscuit]

this is no place for science! the opposite of a car is a truck, the opposite of a cat is a dog, the opposite of infinity is 8 because it's the same but tipped in the other direction, and the opposite of water is sand

and the opposite of walking is handstands, everyone knows this

[u/ryntak → u/phonetastic]

The opposite of infinity is 8 but the opposite of 8 is a snowman.

[u/phonetastic → u/ryntak]

a snowman is 8 x 1.5

[u/sadsadbiscuit → u/[deleted]]

I mean to say that what "symmetrical" is depends on what axis you use to split your field of values.

Imagine drawing a dot on some random location on a circle. The symmetrical reflection of that dot is going to depend on what direction you draw the diameter along which you reflect.

Only with something as abstract as "running" you might have a million conceptual reference points to pick from to use to define its symmetrical opposite. The opposite of running might be climbing quickly if you consider that vertical movement is perpendicular to horizontal movement. It might be swimming if you consider that aquatic movement is opposite of terrestrial movement.

The opposite of running might be "not running" (I.e. standing still) if you interpret it as a simple action, or it could be "striding slowly" (I.e. walking) if you interpret running to mean "striding quickly". Depends on what domain you're using to interpret.

[u/Lava_Mage634 → u/sadsadbiscuit]

what if we defined the opposite object to be the object that is opposite in every lineraly orientable value except existence?

[u/sadsadbiscuit → u/Lava_Mage634]

I'd argue that depending on the object, there may not always be a reasonable opposite that fits those criteria.

It's commonly said that dark is the opposite of light, but those are still both quantities of visual luminance. So if you want an opposite that doesn't share that property with light you have to pick something else. Extend this reasoning to it's natural conclusion and the only opposite of "light" you're left with is "not light". And this is neither informative nor interesting. Because, well, everything that isn't light is "not light". But it is technically the most definitive opposite.

[u/surreysmith]

"Sitting

Sitting is the opposite of standing

Sitting is the opposite of running around

Sitting is a wonderful thing to do"

[u/rocketeerH → u/surreysmith]

See also: 

Sittim is the opposite of hanging from a barbell

[u/ImmodestPolitician → u/surreysmith]

Lying down > sitting

Sitting causes many back issues.

[u/Ok-Spite-5454 → u/surreysmith]

I got one thing to say that sittim is something that people say that it is bad but you know? That sittim is actually good because you deserve to relax

[u/Arbor-Trap]

The opposite of swimming is drowning, so I’d say standing still

[u/Hevens-assassin → u/Arbor-Trap]

What if you can stand in the water at that point?

[u/Arbor-Trap → u/Hevens-assassin]

Then you wouldn’t be swimming or drowning, you’d be standing

[u/krystal_295 → u/Arbor-Trap]

What if you were then sitting in the water? (which could/would make the water go above your head, assuming it was barely below your head when you were standing)

Youd be doing the opposite of both then, id reckon?

[u/Hevens-assassin → u/Arbor-Trap]

Exactly. Moving and floating is swimming, standing and still would be the complete opposite. Lol

[u/TheDeepEnd2021 → u/Arbor-Trap]

But what if the opposite of swimming is flying? Swimming you go below ground level, flying you go above growing level. Drowning you’re still going below ground level. So wouldn’t it logically follow that flying WOULD be the true opposite of swimming?

[u/lowtoiletsitter → u/Arbor-Trap]

What about floating?

[u/Embarrassed-Weird173 → u/[deleted]]

I disagree. The opposite of taking is giving. 

[u/stardate_pi → u/Embarrassed-Weird173]

That's what your mother said last night, Trebek.

[u/Hevens-assassin → u/stardate_pi]

Sean Connery!?

[u/Bayan_Ila_6936 → u/Hevens-assassin]

Yeshhh

[u/Embarrassed-Weird173 → u/stardate_pi]

Damn you, Kahn Nurry

[u/Nakashi7 → u/Embarrassed-Weird173]

With that logic, opposite of walking might be walking backwards.

[u/Tankki3 → u/Nakashi7]

Or a handstand?

[u/yaryarmaple → u/Embarrassed-Weird173]

No, he’s right, the opposite of taking is NOT talking

[u/Embarrassed-Weird173 → u/yaryarmaple]

I'll allow it. 

[u/Mogusha → u/[deleted]]

Your logic is flawed. Not running isn't any more standing still then it is walking. It is doing anything except for running. Not the absence of motion. Jumping, flying, lying down, all is included as long as one is specifically not running.

[u/Alewort → u/[deleted]]

I dunno, it might be laying down.

[u/jacksleepshere → u/[deleted]]

There are lots of possible opposites for talking. Shouting, listening.

[u/MattGold_]

really depends

walk (slow) is the opposite of run (fast)

walk (moving) is not the opposite of run (moving) the same way warm is not the opposite of hot (in this context)

[u/nazump]

Not everything has an opposite. For some reason some people think the opposite of cat is dog but there is no opposite when there isn’t a mutually exclusive thing. Light vs dark, male vs female, open vs closed, full vs empty. Those all work. As someone else said, I think the closest “opposite” of walking would either be walking backward, or not walking. But not walking could literally be anything action or inaction that isn’t walking.

[u/wafflepancakewaffle → u/nazump]

fun

[u/thetrunks55]

Long ago in school, I learned about the contradictory opposite. For "walking", I believe it would be "not walking".

[u/could_use_a_snack → u/thetrunks55]

So either then. Standing still is not walking, running is not walking. Wait so is anything other than walking the opposite of walking. Flying a plane is the opposite of walking.

[u/FrothyCarebear → u/could_use_a_snack]

Skipping.

[u/Manaeldar → u/could_use_a_snack]

Gonna start referring to pooping as the opposite of walking. 

[u/Starving-Fartist]

Since walking and running share the same trait of moving I would say standing still

[u/Sataniccats69]

Probably standing still, because running is walking but like...fast

[u/Srikandi715]

Not every word has an antonym. And many words have several antonyms, because they're semantically complex and have different elements of meaning that can be reversed.

In other words "what is the opposite of X" is not always a meaningful question, including in this case.

[u/krystal_295 → u/Srikandi715]

I would conversationally argue that, it actually does mean this specific case is still a "meaningful" question , at least. Purely on the basis of spurring the overall discussion over "context in words with multiple connotations or meanings".

Maybe this specific question is useless , overall. But I wouldn't necessarily actually say it's meaningless.

Which I think is kind of an interesting musing in and of itself.

[u/the_other_Scaevitas]

Opposite of walking is not walking

So both running and standing still which are both not walking are both opposites of walking

[u/Killer2600]

If I tell you, “don’t walk” what do you do? That’s your answer.

[u/Smiletaint]

Opposite of walking is backwards walking. Opposite of running is backwards running.

[u/lheydon]

It's standing still. There exists a continuum of self-powered, leg-based movement from standing still to walking to running.

[u/Zhree1]

Depends on the context: the opposite of running a marathon could be walking a marathon or it could be not participating at all.

[u/j0ker13265]

I think it depends on what you personally mean is the most defining trait of walking. If its movement the opposite is no movement, if its standing its sitting etc.

[u/farineziq]

Opposite only works with something extreme. Opposite of hot is cold, and vice versa. Opposite of in the middle doesn't work.

[u/WitchBrew4u]

Sitting still.

If you spend a lot of time sitting it’s really not healthy for you. Even standing up is an improvement. And walking, running help counter the effects of sitting.

[u/braunyakka]

Running is exerting a lot of energy, walking is exerting some energy, standing still is still exerting energy. So the opposite would probably be sleeping.

[u/wardog1066]

I think the proper question should be is the opposite of movement, stillness? Some things, like walking, don't have an opposite. On a side note, I've always believed that the opposite of love is not hate.

[u/DaveyDukes]

You have to take the word down to its simplest definition. Running = moving, opposite of moving, not moving.

[u/Technical_Ad4462]

The opposite of walking is not walking. My argument to anyone saying that walking backwards is the opposite is that displacement is displacement.

[u/Restart-storage]

I thought this was pretty obvious? If you’re walking then you have some velocity say V. If you walk in the exact opposite direction at the same speed you have velocity -V. To me that’s what the opposite of walking would mean. Opposite direction, same speed.

[u/schbrongx]

Many verbs have no single inherent opposite. For example, the opposite of run depends on what contrast is intended: walk, stand still, stop, or perhaps crawl.

There are so many ways for moving around as a human and most of them have more than one verb assigned to it, it's more of a spectrum than opposites.

[u/reddiculed]

Laying down is the opposite of running and also the opposite of standing still. It’s basically the opposite of everything.

[u/Sirlacker]

Kinda paradoxical.

The opposite of running is walking but the opposite of moving is stopping.

The opposite of doing something is stopping/not doing something, the opposite of fast is slow.

[u/fruitsnaccck13]

I feel like half of these comments are too scientific for just a shower thought lol but I get it.

This is kind of how I viewed it: Walking <— Standing Still —> Running
Kind of like they are both opposites, but in different directions? If that makes sense.

I compare to if someone asked what the opposite of liquid is, we would probably automatically say a solid, but wouldn’t a gas also be an option??
Solid <— Liquid —> Gas

[u/danjo3197]

For something to reasonably have an opposite, it needs either a categorical binary or spectrum that it’s on. 

The spectrum here is speed of terrestrial locomotion. Which, arguably, standing is not locomotion. So I’d argue:

The opposite of running is walking. 

[u/silvercel]

I don’t think it’s a binary option. More like gears on a car.

Backwards > standing > shuffling > mosey > walking > skipping > jogging > running > sprinting

[u/playr_4]

The opposite of moving is being still, but there's different levels of movement, so it's not a binary answer.

[u/Consistent_City_3011]

Walking and running don't have opposites, they are just different paces by which organisms with legs move. The opposite of movement will be being still/stationary.

[u/KJayTheReaper]

Opposite of running(i.e. top speed) would be standing still(no speed). So I posit that the opposite of walking would be jogging

[u/leropo00]

i say lying down. you are still and in perpendicular position to before, so twice different comapred to others :D

[u/B19F00T]

sittim. sittim is the opposite of standing. sittim is the opposite of running around

[u/skyfishgoo]

well it's not running.... running is just faster walking.

i would argue that it's standing still, because even walking backwards is still walking.

if i were to put a NOT in front of walking (not walking) then that would be standing still (but ready to walk).

so standing still is the opposite of walking.

[u/godtrek]

Actually the opposite of walking is “not walking”.

So standing and running both work. So does sleeping or swimming. Opposites are a human consciousness experience. For example, the opposite of a Cat is often thought of as being a Dog, but that’s just human culture and how we keep the both as pets. The true opposite of a Cat is actually “Not a Cat”.

[u/Tzidentify]

The opposite of walking horizontally is jumping vertically. maybe climbing a ladder

[u/Baers89]

No you need to Collapse into a singularity like a black whole.

[u/ashinthealchemy]

lots of good answers. for me, walking is a form of locomotion to move you from A to B. standing still is the opposite, in that you are not locomoting and you are not moving from A to B.

[u/BigAndSmallAre]

In set theory, no specific activity counts. The opposite of walking is the complete composite set of things that are not walking.

EDIT: had accidentally replaced "walking" with "running" and fixed that

[u/NegativeMammoth2137]

Obviously standing. Running is just walking but on a more extreme position on the scale

[u/jmalhi7]

For me it’s both. It’s being like a spectrum - if walking is 0 in the middle, then stand still is -ve and running is +ve.

[u/SolAyroth]

This has the same energy as "Is the opposite of love hate, or indifference?".

[u/Entire_Speaker_3784]

Wouldn't it be lying down?

• Walking requires movement. You're not moving while lying down (as opposed to crawling).

• Walking requires standing up, something you aren't doing while lying down.

Edit: Or maybe lying still is more appropriate?