Results of actions...

One of the phenomena that has fascinated me for many years is the interplay of people's actions -- on each other and on the environment. With over six billion humans, all interacting in some way or other, the total result is astronomical.

Who does what to whom, and what is the result, and what is the longer-term outcome?

What grain of sand triggers the landslide?

Network scientists are working on this; religious leaders have discussed this; we as a race have set up rules to try to put boundaries on acceptable interactions.

The mass media (all of 'em) make their living by describing or telling stories about interactions.

We see the actions of our leaders in the mass media -- and the results such as the fiasco (sorry, war) in Iraq; the incarceration of refugee children in Australia; the kidnapping and murdering of children by very disturbed adults, and so on ad infinitum.

What causes all this? What can we do as individual people?

What do our actions do? Is one of our less salubrious actions one that has ultimately caused mayhem further down the timeline?

I'm not a preacher nor a guru -- but the questions are interesting.

Happy pondering.

Peter W