read between the runs

okay let’s talk about it:

i know that there isn’t really any changes that can be made in the order of the colors of the rainbow, but hypothetically, if given the chance, i would enact a major overhaul of the rainbow as we presently know it. i have nothing against the rainbow, it’s actually pretty cool, but it just isn’t my preferred order of colors. and i know, i know, the rainbow presents the way it does because it is a spectrum of light with scientific backing that i don’t have and yaddah, yaddah, yaddah, but i’m just trying to HAVE FUN.

for this thought experiment, i’ll maintain the same amount of colors. i also figure that as exciting as it would be to remove a color for a color not present in the current ROYGBIV, that opens up far too many possibilities for new rainbows and changes it further than i would intend. 

but first, let’s start with what the rainbow got right: ROYGBIV. it rolls off the tongue. it sounds great. it sounds professional. 

second: they used real colors. none of that knock-off junk, and certainly only ones that people can identify with ease (mostly—indigo) and honestly now that i think about it, that’s wrong. they used violet instead of purple. wow, i’m even more glad i’m doing this now. i guess ROYGBIV is all the initial rainbow got right. 

and with that, the ranking begins:

1. green: no matter what day of the week you ask me, i’ll always say green is the best color. doesn’t matter the shade, no matter the object, green is superior to all else. when you think of serenity and lusciousness, green immediately pops in the mind. what’s better than something being serene and lush? nothing. and what better way to lead off than with a serene and lush green? none. it’s truly the only option that makes sense and anyone who tells you different has a horse in the race and is lying. 
2. blue: what’s better than blue?? well… green, but after that, nothing! not only is blue a fantastic color on its own, but just think of the blend that would result from moving the GB of ROYGBIV to the front of the rainbow. we need not wait for the middle to see the best, it now is the beginning. blue makes sense as a second pick because of its calming traits and its general greatness. this rainbow is off to a great start!
3. orange: now orange is a bit of a sleeper pick for the third spot. some may view orange as a bit abrasive for a color, but no such thoughts have entered my mind. orange is the perfect blend of brightness and neutrality. what’s great about orange here is not just its great relationship with blue, but its underdog mentality carries it to third overall, though it does drop from their original placement at second. however, this ranking fits orange better because it has a better chance to stand out behind blue. 
4. indigo: i’ll start off by saying that this is just a great name for a color. i mean, say it aloud and see how good it sounds! indigo! now, if you asked me to describe indigo or tell you anything that is indigo, i would have absolutely nothing to say to you. but i don’t think that’s what matters here. indigo finds itself in the middle not because of its own laurels, but because of the lack of impressiveness from the remaining rainbow competition. 
5. yellow: even i’m surprised that i’m ranking yellow so low. i think it came down to not wanting a yellow/orange continued crossover and the sound of the word “indigo”. (it still sounds good to say.) but i feel vindicated for not having yellow higher because when i looked into my closet, i have only one shirt that resembled yellow on its own, so clearly it’s not a color that is overly important in my life. i like the color, but apparently so only in moderation. 
6. red: you can wax poetic all you want about red being the lowest ranked primary color but that will fall only on deaf ears. hot take: i don’t care about red. it’s a waste of a color. it’s overused, trite, and plain basic. everybody loves red and i’ve never been one to stand behind the color. to me there’s nothing too great about a color that represents so many negative qualities like anger, aggression, violence, and dominance. i’m here to say that the dominance of red leading the rainbow would be over in this world, and red it relegated to a much more fitting, reclusive placement. 
7. violet: the only color that was correctly ranked on the first try. i have no idea why it would even appear on the rainbow. it’s basically the same as indigo, so we aren’t getting anything new here. are you really telling me that there are the spectrum in the purple realm is so large that it needs two derivative colors? i have nothing against violent personally, but i just find it to be redundant in this case, and a bit entitled. i’m happy to see violet out in the world but i just can’t say that it has a strong place in the rainbow, hence it filling out the bottom of the list. 

so there we have it. ROYGBIV has become GBOIYRV. and though it rolls off the tongue with much less ease, i believe that in time this new ranking would win over rainbow fans with its intentional design and overall connections across shades. maybe one day science will be able to figure out how to change the lightwaves of whatever to change the rainbow, but for now we are just steeped in tradition.

do great; be happy