Meaning of this quote: it has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing?

Question

please. it sounds so cool, yet i dont understand it completly. i suppose it has something to do with how your actions can affect others

Answer 1

You're right, it means that something that seems insignificant can actually have a huge effect, even if you don't know it.

There is a Ray Bradbury short story entitled "Sound of Thunder" that is about this same topic. In the story, a rich man time travels to hunt dinosaurs and inadvertently changes the course of history. It's a very interesting read, if you liked "The Butterfly Effect" and that quote.

Answer 2

Chaos theory.

Answer 3

it is the smallest thing, the wind of a butterfly's wing, that will blow something else a little farther and change all the rest of history of the planet. the slightest "nudge" can change the rest of eternity for a world.

Answer 4

It looks to me like your quote is unfinished.  I would think "The flutter of a butterfly's wing?" would be followed by something happening.  So working from that I will offer the following thought.  Please don't think I am buying this, it is simply something some brainiac dreamed up.

It sounds like a simplified version of the "Chaos Theory".  The theory basically states there is no such thing as an isolated event.  A butterfly landing on a Lotus plant in Tokyo will have an effect on the fuel economy of your Ford in Idaho.

Like I said, "I don't buy it for a second".

Answer 5

Even the slightest action can have immense consequences.

Answer 6

Picture this - if you drop a pebble into a pool of water, the ripples will travel all the way out to the edge of the pond.  The saying is a metaphor based on the same concept and it does have to do with how one thing in this world can affect soemthing else.  Just take something simple like a hug - imagine how you can hug one person, then that person can hug someone else and so on and so on.  In a way, little pieces of your hug have been passed along from one person to the next.  It's how germs are spread.

Answer 7

it basically means that something that seems very small and insignificant can inadvertently cause huge things to happen.

Answer 8

I'm guessing that it means little actions can actually make a giant difference.

Answer 9

bob

Answer 10

the slightest thing you do could have an effect (big or small)