Words that we put out into the world have a butterfly effect. If I say something, the reader to listener will invariable be affected by it. Especially if it is a behaviour, or a prediction or an expectation of them. What I have said will change the original outcome. For example, I wrote about the Hedonistic Treadmill. Now a person who is sad reads it. It does not perhaps change their outlook, or help them immediately in any way. Maybe it gives them some unrealised, deep-seated hope. Maybe it doesn't. But when they return from their sadness will be affected. Maybe it would have taken them longer, originally, to be less sad. Maybe reading it helped. But maybe it didn't. We don't even know what or when the original outcome were to occur so I'm just playing around here. We told my friend we predicted that he would drop out of college this semester. Telling him this, I think, is a mistake. Because now I will not get to see the original, natural course of events. Now that this prediction has been revealed to him, the decision of him dropping out will be effected, with or without his conscious knowledge. I will never know what would have otherwise happened. This is why I like imagining parallel universes. it has binaries. 1 or 0. Yes or No. It happened or It didn't happen. Maybe there is a parallel universe in which he did drop out. If course, that is a branch in the universe where I came to this University and befriended him. I know that there is a parallel universe where I haven't met this guy I love. I know there is a universe where I didn't voice the toxic words out. I know there is a universe where we are still happy right now. And I know theres a universe where he's reading this and smiling right now.
