The Butterfly effect has always been a concept I’ve been obsessed with, since I played a game called ‘Until Dawn’. I remember playing this game on my brother’s PlayStation and immediately being hooked. The interactive horror game was released in 2015, and your decisions determine the outcome of the story. In the story there are eight friends who are trying to survive in a lodge on Blackwood Mountain.
For those of you who don’t know, The Butterfly Effect is a theory created by meteorologist Edward Lorenz. Edward established the theoretical basis of weather and climate predictability. He discovered that small changes could change the weather and used the term ‘butterfly effect’ to explain his discovery.
This theory can be used in everyday life and has become a huge eye opener when making decisions. In the book Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman it says, “The things that change the world, according to Chaos theory, are the tiny things. A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian jungle, and subsequently a storm ravages half of Europe".(The Butterfly Effect is part of the Chaos theory)
Initially, the idea is that one small choice you make can have a bigger consequence later. I believe this is an important concept to consider as many people make spontaneous decisions, and do not think about the effects of their choice. Although being spontaneous can be good in terms of not overthinking, sometimes making a rash decision causes more damage than good. An example of the Butterfly Effect can be making an offensive tweet when you were younger, then years later you are unable to get a job. Although posting the comment didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, it has now majorly affected you later in life. However, there aren’t just bad outcomes. For me a small decision was to apply to university for a Journalism course. From this I have made incredible life-long friends, was opened to multiple opportunities for my career, learned the importance of friends and family, and learned more about myself and who I am as an individual.
If there is anything you should take from this, I would say it’s to be conscious and self-aware of the choices you make. This will prevent you from making poor decisions and not allow you to sabotage your future self. I would definitely recommend playing the game Until Dawn as well, as the graphics and storyline are amazing.
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