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Riddle me this:

We are both black and white with two seeds,
But they each can never be planted;
Through our swirl, philosophy proceeds,
But our balance is taken for granted.

Our forces conflict with each other,
For we echo the knave and the knight.
But we're compelled to exist as together;
A shadow cannot exist without light.

What are we?

My previous riddle was too easy, so I am not giving out any hints, though I will say just one thing: the opposites in the title is not the only clue hidden there...

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  • $\begingroup$ Why did this riddle receive a downvote? Did I do something wrong? (I am not fussed about the reputation; I am just concerned if I did something bad.) $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:21
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    $\begingroup$ I downvoted because this is a very straightforward riddle, with seemingly no attempt to obscure any information. It's closer to "identify this object" than an actual riddle. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:25
  • $\begingroup$ @Deusovi $\diamondsuit$ I understand what you mean, but I don't understand how my friends and family seem to find my riddles quite difficult, and others on this site find it extremely easy. (Perhaps because users on this site see riddles all the time, which leads me to my following statement.) It seems like I must learn to adapt to different standards. Thank you for your comment. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:28
  • $\begingroup$ @Deusovi Even if the riddle seems easy to you, it doesn't deserve a downvote as it may not be that easy for other audience (e.g. newcomers, children,...) And above all, it is nicely formulated. Just don't vote, don't downvote. $\endgroup$
    – xhienne
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 13:32

1 Answer 1

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This is the

yin-yang, or taijitu.

enter image description here

We are both black and white with two seeds, But they each can never be planted;

Obvious from the image: the 'seeds' are the smaller dots inside each section.

Through our swirl, philosophy proceeds, But our balance is taken for granted.

It's a philosophical swirl representing balance.

Our forces conflict with each other, For we echo the knave and the knight.

The yin and the yang are two opposing forces.

But we're compelled to exist as together; A shadow cannot exist without light.

One is white and the other is black, as mentioned in the first line.

And if you couldn't get it from any of that...

the title has weirdly capitalized words that spell out the answer for you.

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  • $\begingroup$ $(+1)$ And one last thing: Rot13(Gur "Xanir naq Xavtug" cneg vf nyfb n ersrerapr gb n ybtvp chmmyr jurer xavtugf gryy gur gehgu naq xanirf yvr (n.x.n. bccbfvgrf). Vg qbrf abg znggre gbb zhpu naljnl, orpnhfr lbh unir gur nafjre.) After having this be too easy, I might as well just accept the answer by the end of tonight, as this one is correct. I encourage others to try and find alternative answers, nonetheless. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:33
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    $\begingroup$ @user477343: If there are alternative answers that fit just as well, then the riddle is too broad and likely to be closed. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:34
  • $\begingroup$ Okay. Thank you for letting me know. But considering that this riddle of mine is, as you said, an "identify the object" puzzle, I hardly believe there will be a found alternative. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:35
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    $\begingroup$ I don't think so either - just reminding you, as a general piece of advice. Alternative answers to puzzles that fit equally well are, in general, Very Bad Things. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 7:36
  • $\begingroup$ Well, congratulations! $\;\color{green}{\checkmark}$ $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Aug 5, 2018 at 22:05

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