Every action has a reaction, sometimes we can't see it and other times it can change society. It all depends on the decision of the person. The ripple effect is just one example of how one person's actions can lead to another person's reaction. Both actions will have a consequence, whether it is good or bad depends on the people and the situation. There is support for this through Isaac's Third Law in the physical and mental sense. This is also true on an emotional level.
Let's say one person says "I love you" to their significant other, and the significant other may not feel the same way quite yet. The significant other may still say "I love you" to the other person, or may break up with them, or another reaction will occur. By saying something to a person, a response is definitely hoped for and sometimes highly expected. A person might believe that in the situation above, they only have two choices which is not the case. A person has an unlimited amount of choices, such choices are not always clear nor easy to take.
A person only has two choices in a game or when answering a true or false question. Otherwise a person just needs a new perspective to see all of the choices they actually have. Sometimes a choice is not clear or it can be a difficult choice to make. Yet all choices are necessary and each choice does have more than one consequence, yet one consequence may be more important than the rest.
With every word expressed verbally or nonverbally, every action given, and every decision made there is going to be a consequence. Sometimes one of the bigger consequences isn't known until years, decades, or centuries later. The action could have been from a bully in high school; the victim could be someone who felt the need to succeed and wouldn't stop until they were very successful or the victim felt worthless and never felt the need to do anything with themselves. These are consequences and decisions, now the bully cannot be blamed for someone's success or failure, the bully can only be a variable. The only thing the bully is responsible for is their actions in the past and their reactions in the future.
Now with the ripple effect and every action having a consequence act; one person cannot blame another for their situation (with most cases). It's nearly impossible for one person to control another person for their entire life, it just goes against human nature to not make our own decisions. There are movies, books, and songs that will express this and try to spread the lesson around. Yet sometimes one of the main themes is not always obvious.
Take "The Little Mermaid" for example, Ariel is a sixteen year old who believes she knows better and wants to be an adult. She defies her father and visits a witch to help her find true love. The witch bargained with Ariel and made her sign a contract. A contract is important since it dictates what both parties are allowed to do and not allowed to do. The sea witch never actually breaks her side of the bargain/contract, but because we are on Ariel's side and want her to have a happy ending we see the sea witch as evil and unfair. Even with the story having a happy ending (because Disney) every part of the movie is a consequence because of Ariel's dreams and actions.
Maleficent can be another example, this is a different version of the movie "Sleeping Beauty." We see the consequences of a person's actions when dictated by greed, revenge, and hurt. The King steals from Maleficent and hurts her, and she vows revenge. But what Maleficent learns, is that hurting a person just to get revenge on another person will not make you feel better. She learns about actions and reactions.
Each person is responsible for their own actions and their own reactions. With each person taking responsibility, hopefully we can start to have more positive consequences rather than negative. But this will only happen if people will make the choice, make the choice to learn from the past to create something better for the future. Life isn't a movie, but it is a story with a beginning, middle, and end. What will your story be like, and how what effect will it have on others?
