The Butterfly Effect

What is The Butterfly Effect?

                As you probably might've seen from the picture above, the butterfly effect basically means every action however small has repercussions in the future. In Chaos Theory, the butterfly effect basically says that if a butterfly flaps its wings at just the right time in just the right place. It can cause a hurricane thousands of miles away. The relationship is real, even if it takes a long time. The hurricane would not have occurred if the butterfly had not fluttered its wings at precisely the proper moment in space/time. Small changes in the initial conditions result in dramatic changes in the results, to put it another way.

An example of this effect in a popular tv show (TW: mentions of s*xual assault and s*icide):

                The popular, yet controversial Netflix series 13 reasons why tells us a story about the life of a high school student Hannah Baker or more importantly why she ended it. Hannah's decision wasn't an impulsive one but the effect of constant bullying, depression, and hopelessness along with a lack of self-expression. It all begins when Justin Foley (a character in the show, also a high school student) took a compromising picture of Hannah. This picture is then circulated throughout the school, which put a target/label on Hannah and creates an image of her being easy. She was bullied by the students for this and was also s*xually assaulted and harassed on more than one occasion. One thing kept leading to another thing which finally lead to her decision to end it all. Something as small as a stupid picture led to a death of a girl. This is an example of the butterfly effect and how it can destroy lives easily. It is also a reminder for us to be kinder to other people and to always think twice before doing/saying something to others.

               The butterfly effect isn't always used negatively though, it can lead to beautiful things such as love and friendships which brings us to our next topic which is The Nova Effect and The tragedy of good luck.

The Nova Effect

                The Nova effect is based on a dog's story, in which small actions have unforeseen results. According to the story, a dog chasing a rabbit leads to the owner's hospitalization.

                Eric is walking his dog, Nova, through the park one evening. A rabbit emerges from the bushes as they stroll and enjoy the wind. Nova reacts in the same way that any other dog would, charging after the rabbit. Because Eric is preoccupied with his thoughts at the time, he fails to keep the leash tied to Nova in place. Because he couldn't keep up with the pace, Eric has no idea where his beloved pet went. Eric is heartbroken by the loss of his dog. He is perplexed as to why the rabbit had to jump precisely when he was around, forcing him to lose his dog. Almost a week later, when Eric has almost lost all hope when a doorbell rings. When he opens the door, there stands a woman holding his dog Nova, which Eric had been seeking for the past few weeks. The lady who brought the labrador home introduces herself as Vanessa. Eric and Vanessa, exchange pleasantries and start talking. One thing leads to another, and they begin dating within a few weeks. Vanessa proves to be everything Eric hoped for in a woman: confident, cheerful, funny, fun-loving, and attractive. The rabbit jumping out of the bushes seemed like a curse when he lost the dog but now it seemed like a blessing. A few weeks later Vanessa invites Eric to her house, on the way while driving he runs a red light and crashes into an oncoming truck. He gets rushed to the hospital and as he is waiting for the results he thinks, “What a tragedy of good luck and bad fate. Earlier I was enjoying the benefit and now I am suffering.” The doctor came and told said, "There's good news and bad news, good news is you only suffered a broken rib and some minor concussions but the bad news is there is a tumor which is just starting to develop in your brain but since it is in its initial stages we can get rid of it." The doctor told him that he was lucky as brain tumors are usually only noticed in the later stages when it's too late, so basically, the accident saved his life. Eric realizes how certain minor events can create a significant impact on a person’s life. A small event such as a dog chasing after a rabbit saved a man's life.

How The Butterfly Effect can be used for self-improvement:

• Working out: When you think of the gym, you may imagine that missing one day is little. However, after a few weeks, lethargy takes control and you no longer consider working out. Instead, even if you only exercise a few times a week, you will receive considerable long-term benefits. You can drop almost 5 pounds in a few months if you work out for an hour three times a week. However, a one-hour exercise appears so tiny that you do not both try.
• Reading: In half an hour, most people can easily read 10 pages. A typical personal development book contains 200 pages. In a year, you'd have read 18 novels at your current rate. With over 50 books under your belt, your knowledge and awareness will soar in three years.

Minor mistakes like eating a piece of chocolate, blaming others, getting up after two snoozes, and checking social media a few times in between work may appear innocuous. Simple modifications, such as halving the sugar in your coffee, Simple beneficial modifications like halving the sugar in your coffee, organizing your day for 10 minutes, or focusing on your growth for 15 minutes tend to have no positive or negative consequences. And you are right because the changes remain invisible with no impact for months or even a couple of years. Fast forward five years, these good habits will produce massive results in wealth, health, and happiness.

Conclusion

The Butterfly and the Nova Effect narrative conveys the concept that the daily decisions you make, both major and small, are at the foundation of your success and failure. You have significantly more influence over your choices, but most people go about their daily lives like zombies. All your words and actions have consequences, so be wise and be kind to others and yourself.