The idea of the butterfly effect is simple--that a butterfly might flap its wings and generate elsewhere a hurricane. Of course, it is not some kind of grotesque exaggeration of the strength of a butterfly's wingflap, but instead it demonstrates that even the slightest of variances in some set of initial conditions can effect catastrophic events in the future. Yet obviously since the butterfly's wingflap is so insignificant, it's not struggling against the chaos of the atmosphere, but instead stumbling upon a set of conditions already in place that allow its tiny effort to generate an incredible storm. It is as if the butterfly is the first domino in a long line. All the dominoes are set to fall after the first, but without that initial push, nothing happens. Yet to actually expect a butterfly to be able to generate a hurricane is similar to dumping a box of dominoes onto the ground and having them land in some configuration so that they can knock each other down each in turn.
It seems instead that for any one person to change the world, they should not hope to be like the butterfly, but they should hope to be like the ant. Ants work together to accomplish things that are far more than the capabilities of a single ant amplified through multiplicity: they form structures out of themselves, they solve spatial problems, they domesticate fungi for agriculture, and they undertake many other remarkable tasks. As I discussed in my previous entry, all it requires is for the ants to work together towards common goals, and even if each ant doesn't have a full understanding of the grander architecture, it takes shape nevertheless.
Yet one thing I find particularly interesting that I failed to point out in my previous discussion of ants is that there's another element introduced when you try to do the same thing with people working together: that we have capabilities of abstract thought that permit us to conceive of the patterns that exist beyond us, even those that we are a part of. As such, throughout history there have been people who have bridged the conceptual gap between this ant and this butterfly--who have sought to make hurricanes by inspiring others to act with them, but whose individual wingflaps set the entire storm in motion.
I believe the Golden Rule is poorly stated. Instead of "do unto others etc.", I believe one should be the person they want others to be. This is not in contradiction of another mantra hammered into children along side the Golden Rule: "Be yourself", but rather it says the same thing, but without the accompanying sense of entitlement. Too many people nowadays believe that just because they 'are themselves' that their flaws should be forgiven as part of them, and although indeed flaws should be forgiven, if we do not work to improve upon them ourselves, then we have no excuse when we transgress. It is better to make mistakes in spite of who we are than because of who we are.
Yet this is of course not the only reason to improve oneself. One of the tragic flaws of the Golden Rule is that it is often reversed, e.g.: "Why should I be nice to them if they aren't nice to me?" Yet if we wait for others to take the first step in becoming better people, sadly we'll likely be waiting our entire lives. Thus to wait for the example is just an excuse made to placate our consciences in light of our own selfishness.
Moreover, it is not the actions of others that define our character. If we simply respond to the good will of those who are already good, surely we could be doing worse, but if we yet return evil for evil, we are not at our deepest depths good people. If we, however, preemptively show kindness even to those who make choices we do not approve of or even those who wrong us, then we can take comfort in knowing that if they decide to act against us, it is a reflection of their actions and not our own.
Yet do not use this as an excuse to provoke people with passive aggressive behavior or prideful displays of superiority--our efforts for good must be true. We should do our best to set a good example and to teach those willing to listen. We do not aim to set ourselves above others, but to meet them and help them up.
Remember, we are not alone in this world, and so it's illogical not to cooperate with others. If we lead the way, but we do so paying attention to any willing to follow, we will be like the ant in that we will be part of a greater colony making the world a better place, but we will also be like the butterfly, giving the world the push it needs to start into a storm of revolution, reforming society into something better at its core.
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