Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation). Almost a fortnight ago, I shared an excerpt titled – ‘Knowing the Social media Algorithm’ from an article titled ‘Algorithmic Gatekeepers’ by Shawn Fuller. In this episode we briefly discussed as to what these algorithms are and what are the different types currently in use by various social media companies  Now, SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation) to the ones paying heed, is where we try to draw your attention to things that matter and the importance of your attention, because, ‘Our life’s experience would ultimately amount to whatever we had paid attention to’.

Attention: is as fundamental as food; and we go blundering about, seeking ways to assuage the craving, instead of learning how to provide ourselves with what we need, sensibly and calmly. Once our attention is drawn to the mechanism of why and what we give attention to, it is as if a veil has been stripped off and we become freer in our action and choices. And that is our endavour.

This week I bring to your attention an excerpt titled – ‘Why Everything We Do Matters’ from a book titled ‘Fluke’ – Chance, Chaos and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas.

In his book Brian points that Contrary to our instinctive beliefs, cause and effect are never simple and easy to understand: any specific outcome is dependent not only on what appear to be the major events leading up to it, but also on an array of seemingly insignificant, arbitrary, easily overlooked factors, “flukes”—some under our control, but countless others not.

Why Everything We Do Matters

Here is a real tale reported in the news in Greece in the summer of 2022.

In the summer of 2022, a routine tragedy took place of the coast of Greece. A tourist named Ivan from North Macedonia was swept out to sea. His friends rushed to alert the coast guard, but the searchers came up empty. Ivan was declared lost at sea, presumed dead. Then, eighteen hours later, Ivan was found. Miraculously, he was alive. It seemed impossible. But just before he slipped below the waves to drown, Ivan had spotted a small soccer ball, floating on the surface in the distance. He swam over to it with his last ounce of strength. He clung to it through the night and was rescued. The ball saved his life.

When Ivan’s tale of survival made the Greek news, a mother of two boys reacted with shock. She recognised the ball Ivan was holding. Her two boys were playing with that exact ball ten days earlier when one of them accidentally kicked it into the sea. The ball had bobbed across the waves for eighty miles, until it converged with a drowning swimmer at precisely the right moment. The boys had thought little of the lost ball. They shrugged and bought a new one. Only later did they realize that without their accidental kick, Ivan would now be dead.

Excerpt from ‘Fluke’ – Chance, Chaos and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas.

I am sure that you will enjoy reading this book, to read book report you can click on the following link and subsequently buy your copy too:

https://humanjourney.us/mind/fluke-brian-klaas-summary

Enjoy reading it with your family, friends and near and dear one’s.

Namaste!