L'effet Papillon

It is said that a mere flap of a butterfly's wings may be strong enough to send ripples through the atmosphere thereby changing the path of a tornado or even causing one in a different part of the world. However poetic this may sound, this concept originated from the chaos theory and Edward Lorenz's works and made people sit up and notice the marked and fascinating implication that a tiny butterfly could, if need be, make its presence felt.

However one is amazed at the complex connotation that this concept encapsulates. Aren't we all subject to the overwhelming feeling of joy when we see a tiny insect like a butterfly, replete with all its splendor? The very picture of a child trying to catch hold of this flying creature which ultimately succeeds in evading him/her, is so very soothing to our eyes. In fact the very inception of this creature from an organism as ugly as a caterpillar, to a colorful butterfly mesmerising us with its varied hues is so very captivating and thought-provoking.

Thus, one wonders why people need to resort to complex theories and equations to prove the impact of this tiny but enamoring creature called the butterfly. The butterfly effect or 'L'effet Papillon' , is evident in the very essence of this creature and its beauty.

Nostalgia

'What is love. I ask myself
Can't figure out, I need some help
Looking for love, here and there
Vagueness, vagueness, everywhere"

The very lines transfer me- body and soul , to the sunny, and dusty quadrangle of the hallowed 'Presidency'- which I am fortunate enough to call 'my alma mater'. The lines above are from my first poem that I had written while traversing the path of knowledge, on a drizzling afternoon, amidst the enveloping greenery beside Baker's. It was an ethereal experience just to be a part of the heritage , the mildly Gothic ambience of the renowned institute which we called 'heaven', and the world, 'Presidency'.

The Social Network

Web 2.0 is the name of the game these days, and one may have already heard of the up-coming phenomena called the Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 ,which will herald the amalgamation of the virtual and the real. What one is baffled by, is the speedy, almost miraculous proliferation of this media called the Web, and also the social network,which it houses, where one is not only informed, but also gets the opportunity to interact, share, or voice one's views, initiate on-line friendship, increase one's network, and in a way, allow the Web and it's numerous members to access not merely individual points of view, but also an individual's individuality- his very existence.

Thus, while through the 'pages' and 'communities', that a person patronizes on social networking sites such as Orkut or Facebook, one may be able to get a bird's eye view of someone's entire persona. Similarly, regular updates , be it professional (such as 'Linkedin' or mere updates in the professional section of 'Orkut' etc.), or personal (status updates reflecting the states of mind, a person goes through, throughout the day e.g., Twitter or Facebook, or a mere updation of the relationship status) are enough to delve deeper into a person's personality- his very entity.

Apart from the obvious, the interactive media also assists one to become a 'virtual' social animal, by posting comments, sharing photos, videos,music, promotional articles and so on and so forth.

All in all, the 'Social Network' - the most integral part of the Web 2.0 revolution makes one wonder, what next? Perhaps this is thus, just the right time for David Fincher's 'The Social Network' to hit the theatres and redefine and stress on the very many aspects of the social network that envelopes our daily lives.