The Ripple Effect...

I just posted this on another site that visit frequently, but my use of language will have to be changed. I am removing my swearing, but I am keeping the basic vernacular (you'll see what I mean when you compare it to how I talk on other posts):

I don't remember where I heard this one, but it was rather interesting. The Ripple Effect (at least in this context) is basically a cause and effect type of deal. But this is what I'm really talking about in this case:

Let's say you're in the store shopping. You bump into a stranger (literally).

Now, lets say you're a complete jerk to this person and are like, "Watch where the hell you go, jerk!". That action will make the person angry and could affect the rest of the person's day. Let's say it's a dude with kids or something.

The dude goes home in a bad mood because some jerk WAS a jerk to him. Now, he's gonna take it out on his kids in one way or another. That's just an example. I'm not saying he's gonna beat them or even be a jerk to them, but it very well could have an effect on following events. Now let's change this situation up:

In a store, you bump into the dude, but in this situation you're like. "Oh hey man, I'm really sorry about that. I apologize." Dude - "No problem". You, "Have a nice day ".

You may have struck a chord with this person, and he may go home and have a better time with his kids or his family. Or it just might affect the rest of his day in other ways. He may be nicer to his wife, who will be nicer to her friends and yada yada yada...

Those were just my examples, but do you see where I'm coming from and how every action can cause a ripple effect?

I don't know if I can convey EXACTLY what I'm getting at here. I guess the moral is that every single one of us can create a chain of events that can affect others or even the entire world (kind of like the butterfly effect - they're probably the same thing).

I've always been nice to people and strangers. I try to smile at people when making eye contact or saying excuse me - no matter how miserable I am at the time. I mean, It's not so much about manners. It's about creating a ripple effect.

Basically we can all affect the world to some degree. This is a fact. One more quick example before I shut up:

I'll use Benjamin Franklin because that's all I can come up with right now. Imagine the possibility of one little event changing history and his discovery.

Let's say good 'ol Benji fell flat on his face because he tripped over a rock that someone kicked (and it landed where he fell - obviously). Ben falls and rips the kite. Now he can't do his experiment and will have to wait until the next storm. But the next storm yeilds no results, because since lightning is so random, it just never hit his kite.

Because that idiot kicked the rock, we have no electricity... At least not for awhile until his experiment is successful, which could have changed history dramatically.

The ripple effect FTW.

Edit to add: Creating threads are a perfect example of this. Maybe your thread will make someone think of something in a different way or plant a seed and that will turn into an action. Maybe my thread will make you think.

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That's edited for language, like I said, hehe. Make sense? Is this indeed The Butterfly Effect? And what are your thoughts?

[edit on 10/2/2009 by impaired]

reply to post by impaired


Exactly. Every action you take in your life has an impact. Sad how few don't take that into a account.

Yup, in the East they call it Karma.

Originally posted by Silver Shadow
Yup, in the East they call it Karma.

I was just going to ask if this has anything to do with Karma. I had the "Create Post" windows open, but my mind blanked out (I'm beat).

Maybe at least Karma is a product of the ripple effect (well, obviously).

I think it's time for me to sleep!

Well, the Butterfly effect is a mathematical equation that describes how a minute change in input can drastically skew a repeating pattern in the chaos theory. Not quite the same thing. You actually nailed it first with the "ripple effect". How your actions can radiate outward and effect those around you.

Your scenario's described the ripple effect. The butterfly effect would be you daily in the same store bumping the same person saying the same thing over and over but one day you only say "Oh hey man, I'm really sorry about that" and leave off the "I apologize". How would that effect the pattern?

Good point by the way, keeping things nice has a tendency to bring nice things back to you in return.

reply to post by impaired


exactly, right, but can we take that into account?
Every ripple creates a wave of possibilities, which one of them will be the actual effect?

The jerk goes home angry and might take it out on his kids, but another ripple (created elsewhere) may have caused the kids not to be home at that moment, so the jerk takes it out on ... the dog? Yet another ripple could make a neigbor walk in and punch the jerk in the face for mistreating his dog... etc.. etc..
one ripple > countles possibilities
(countles ripples interacting with each other > reality??)

just brainstorming here

I believe every action you take or choose not to take has the potential for a chain reaction. Once the action or inaction has begun, it's up to whomever it impacts to choose what to do about it. If someone bumped into me at the store, then cursed me loudly for being in their way; I would have an interesting story to tell. If they are throwing a lot of anger at me, I'll probably get angry too. But that interaction passes. From there it's up to me to choose to remain angry or let it go. And in my case - turn it into an interesting story about how weird people can be.
On the flip side, if I'm already in a foul mood and someone bumps me them apologizes; I can stay in a foul mood and use that contact as a way to excuse my continued foul mood. Or I can let their good natured apology help me let go of my foul mood.

We constantly create opportunities. It's one of humanities neatest features. Funny how we're so often blind to it.

reply to post by Busymind


That's true. It does depend on how much the person will let the jerk in the store affect him, but still. Every action will have a reaction - even to the smallest degree. This is almost kinda like creating different timelines.

I hope that made sense, because I'm really tired...

Originally posted by impaired
reply to post by Busymind

 

Every action will have a reaction - even to the smallest degree. This is almost kinda like creating different timelines.

You hit the nail on the head!

Concscious choice is what creates a better future!

Great thread!

To expand a bit more , I have been thinking about something similar lately, I'd have called it 'The Wraith Effect' or the 'reverse butterfly effect' or something like that.

Most people know of the butterfly effect, go back hundreds of thousand of years in time , step on a butterfly and then head forward to your time and see what has changed? or more simply and localised, you invent a time machine, go back in time and meet your grandfather when he was a child and by your intereferrance a freak accident causes his death. How could you be born to invent a time machine and by your actions your grandfather dies? Paradox bigtime? confusing but applicable to the Wraith effect in reverse.

From my reasoning a Wraith is a ghost, but its also known as a portent of serious change :

An apparition of a living person that appears as a portent just before that person's death.
The ghost of a dead person.
Something shadowy and insubstantial.

And I feel it's applicable into what I was thinking.

Yes we can be nice to others if they are not nice to us and it MAY affect their actions during the day, but the 'Wraith effect' has wider implications.

Take todays world, violent, greedy, self centred, ignorant and stubborn.
We kill hundreds of thousands a day, we kill people for money, for property, for a fish supper and even for 20 pence or a wrong look or an imagined slight.
We have no conscience or forethought of our current actions that 'could' affect the world yet to come.
We bleat on about the state of the world, about the economy, the wars, the government and how we cannot change our situation, it is true we CANNOT change our situation if we continue along the path of ignorance.
We must think about 'what if' instead of 'how'?

For example the 'Wraith effect' is never more prevalent that 'thinking about your actions' now, and what 'could' happen if you went along with them.

Here's my thinking for the 'Wraith effect'.

You are a soldier fighting in one of the many wars around the globe, or even a gang member intent on 'staking' your claim to fame.

You kill someone , a young man or a young woman, before they have a child, this unborn 'could' have been instrumental in changing the face of humanity forever.
You have killed them because you were told do, because they believed different to you, now this unborn cannot achieve their destiny or help mankind along a more productive path.

Yes the child could have destroyed humanity but its a chance we'd have to had taken.

The 'Wraith effect' / reverse butterfly effect means that by NOT taking a destructive action now will have future implications in the long term, not only for the following day , but for many years to come.

And who's to say that this young person sees the death staring down a barrel at them, they close their eyes and expect the worst, but instead of a flash of fire and pain, open their eyes and see the death denyed them, they realise they have got another chance at life, maybe they'd do something productive or beneficial and continue on the change of fortune. maybe they won't , maybe they would , thats personal choice for you.

If we could have a year off of war and killing, either militarily, corporately either legit or *erm* not quite legitimately ( say Mafiosi kind of business) and we ,instead of being upset at a slight, or an insult , just turn around say " A year's reprive!" , maybe then we can see a change for the better for all of humanity.
A year of peace and of no killing would have a profound effect of the minds of the people, a year of peace means that maybe peace reins supreme and that forgiveness, tolerance and understanding become the norm instead of arguing, killing and seeking profit. A shift in the perception of man for the better.

It may seems like an alternate timeline as General eyes and Busymind have said , but its the only timeline we'll ever know but maybe we can try and change it for our benefit.?

And like the future a wraith is shadowy and insubstantial until the veil is lifted and we arrive at the future.

SO here's my propsal to you all, tell the world , theres no point telling our governments of religeous leaders at this point in time as they would not listen, but if we as the people gather in numbers sooner or later they WOULD have to listen to us all, tell the world's people " Take a year off of wars, off of killing, live and let live, be understanding, and most of all be TOLERANT", your actions now may have beneficial effects for the future , but if you are content in moaning about your situation , worrying about money, or lack of fame, or simply killing because someone tells you too , then by all means ignore this request, because the future wil have no place for you, so you alone must decide are part of the solution? or part of the problem?

reply to post by impaired


Yep we get what your writing, and its true, we can have a massive effect on others, and words are more dangerous than the sword, like they say.

Thats why whats happening in ukraine is strange, isn't it, how the western media are all quiet over it.

But the op is right, a persons whole outlook on life can be changed by one moment, that had nothing to do with him or her directly.

I think we can all look back and see how people have effected us.

Easiest example for op, is when you support a team and it wins something, why do yu feel happy, and when they lose you feel sad. Thats probably teh easiest way to explain the ripple effect.

Also like all of the people here that know about the vaccines, what consequence are we making just by talking about them, and why does the ptb want to vaccinate people over a rubbish flu like swine flu.

Reality is a mirror of yourself and you will get back what you put out, sooner or later. It's like this so we can see our mistakes and correct them.