What a tangled web we weave.....

"Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."
Attributed to Chief Seattle

There is a lot of confusion about the origin of the second quote. Did Chief Seattle really say this in mid 1850s or it was by a man by the name of Tod Parry who wrote it in 1970s. No confusion about the first quote though. It was by Sir Walter Scott and I must admit that I have taken it a little out of context.

Let us leave aside the origin of these quotes for the moment. I find the statement that we humans are just a part of a complex whole and that our actions have implications beyond what we can readily see as very profound. It is more and more aligned with the evolving wisdom of the human race in general. Less and less anthropocentric. More and more inclusive. Heisenberg makes more and more sense. In short, we are becoming less and less cocky.

Earth is not the centre of the solar system any more; our galaxy is not the centre of the universe any more; and humans are not the privileged children of the cosmos any more. While this may seem as comedown, actually it is a sign of our growing more mature as a race.. It is as if the child grows up and recognises that it is not dependence or independance but interdependence which matters.

But more than all this abstraction, I find the statement holding a lot of practical value for us in the way we live our lives and look at problems. Our problems today have arisen with our solutions yesterday. It is said that many people thought in the early 20th century that problems of pollution in the roads because of horses were going to be wiped out with the advent of automobiles!

We are also discovering interconnectedness more and more. Many school children today understand the oil politics and economics. When I was in school I never knew what snakes had to with people. I did not know what it means have tigers in the forest.

We are seeing beyond the strands and looking at the web more today. And what a tangled web we see.

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Comments

Jon Block says:

What a great photo! Lovely colours, and the composition and textures work very well.

Nice discussion too. Although in your talk of theoretical physics and paradigm shift in science and society I would have thought you should mention "superstring theory"!

(c;

Ok.. ok.. that was a *bad* pun...
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Pandiyan says:

Thanks Jon. Any pun is great fun. Not bad at all.

Oh yes, we can talk about supersymmetric string theory here in this context of web and weave and interconnectedness. But I must mention that my understanding of science is from the standpoint of a layman. I can't talk about many things I mentioned with any sense of authority.

It is one of those moments of self-indulgence when I wrote this. It more a matter of trying to clarify my mind actually.

I had a quick look at your stream and it is pretty interesting. Especially the 'Weird and Wonderful' set. Shall visit at leisure.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

asawaa says:

For a fishnet, this looks awesome!
Great colors...

(1-2-3)
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Jon Block says:

Thank you

Don't worry, I'm a layman too. But that's an advantage - it's much more fun talking about something when you know less about it!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Skyburst says:

Wow!! that is awesome I thought it was somekind of geometric fractal generation from the thumbnail, you have such a good eye well done Pandiyan and the image is very crisp with nice subtle colours.

Excellent my friend this is a definate Bravo for me, I have tagged and faved you know what to do, Bravo again.

Steve.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

annabellafranc [deleted] says:

Very lovely shot....
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

~Reshma~ says:

love the colors and shades!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Tommok [deleted] says:

Great shot Pandiyan!
Super colours.

i don't really agree with "In short, we are becoming less and less cocky."
This is closer to what i think:
"The biggest difficulty with mankind today is that
our knowledge has increased so much faster than
our wisdom."

Also 'Chaos theory' is more in line with my way of thinking
"Random does not exist."
www.imho.com/grae/chaos/chaos.html

The flapping of a single butterfly's wing today produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. So, in a month's time, a tornado that would have devastated the Indonesian coast doesn't happen. Or maybe one that wasn't going to happen, does. (Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos, pg. 141)
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Pandiyan says:

Thanks asawaa, Anna, Jon and ushwink.

Steve - I appreciate the Bravo. Thanks.

Tom - Well, I can see your point of view. And I think truth, according to each one of us, may be where we choose to look at. Yes, I have read up a little on Chaos theory. And I liked James Gleick's book.

But I don't know whether that ends the debate on determinism and probablism. Probablism not in the theological sense. Yes, random mostly is pseudo random. And when we say something is random, all we say is we don't know of the underlying order. And remember that when you talk of the butterfly effect, you are not saying anything about the initial conditions.

The point I wanted to express was simple. In all the madness we see around the world, I do detect positive signals. There was a book which came out sometime ago - No Logo by Naomi Klein which talked of countermovements against corporate excesses and greed. I detect signs of it my country where the corporatisation is just taking roots. So I see the situation as dire but not hopeless. I need to be convinced otherwise.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Skyburst says:

Your very welcome Pandiyan ;-)
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Tommok [deleted] says:

Pandiyan: As do we all my friend, as do we all.

"And when we say something is random, all we say is we don't know of the underlying order."
Exactly!
And that is why i still believe there is no such thing as random! :-)
Pseudo-random? This must not exist either! ;-)
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Ewa's Oceans says:

Beautiful colours and light.
The best in original size.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

addicted Eyes says:

wonderful pic. luv the lighting and the complex 'web'.

thank you for the thought provoking narrative!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

eclectic echoes says:

Pandiyan! Wow.

Very beautiful artwork you have created in this photograph. Colors lines everything...

But even more connecting it to your "self-indulgence". Beautiful. And so very true. Whatever the underlying physics, whatever the cultural background and baggage, we must all learn to remember that web and connectedness. You express optimism that we are learning, and I believe you are right.

I wish I could give this 2 or three Fav's one for the picture, one for the caption and one for the conversation.

You can be self indulgent any time my friend.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Reciprocity says:

Great shot Pandiyan and very interesting.
Looks like a model of 'Explore Interestingness', but not as complicated!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

venkyr says:

The line that resonates the most with me is :
"it is not dependence or independance but interdependence which matters"

An very pithy statement, and one that we should all keep in mind!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

jah~ says:

Nice thoughts to contemplate today. Interesting photo as well... I really like eclectic echoes sentiments. A great idea to send to the staff.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Pandiyan says:

Thanks again, my friends.

Eric - You are too kind.

Alan (Reciprocity) - If at all your work with glass and light should stand for "Explore Interestingness"!

Oar knevy - Thanks. I didn't want to make it more complicated with counterdependence!

John - You too are very kind.

Tom - I sense a contradiction there with random and pseudo random. Furthermore, when we don't know of any underlying order, we need not assume one to be there. I am a born sceptic, I tell you!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

artphoto2005 says:

nice picture.....as a dualist and process thinker...I agree with interconnection as long as it does not jump to relativism and thinking we are all one...a carb and a supercharger is not the car but it sure helps if you want speed
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Lynn Morag says:

Big WoW!!! This is wonderful!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

(vividElangs - Elangovan) says:

Nice color rendition and nice abstract!!!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

peggy. says:

excellent!!!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Wind LaSS says:

FaaaaaaaaVe!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

torontofotobug says:

Instant favourite
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

jinxmcc says:

Beautiful photo, Pandiyan. The net seems to me literally, as well as figuratively, evocative of human impact and interaction with the world, since drifting abandoned nets have become a hazard for much sea life.
I'll chip in two quotes. John Enright said this about individual dilemmas, but it fits broad human ones too: "What is the problem you solved in order to have the problem you have now?"
And Neils Bohr: "The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement.
But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth."
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Pandiyan says:

artphoto - A lot of human thinking seems to centre around finding out what is same and what is different between two things!

Thanks a Lynn, Elango, Peggy, WindlaSS and Anne.

JInx - You are very right. I took this photo and published precisely because of the underlying fact that it is the fishing net which gives the livelihood to fisherfolk and it is the fishing net which kills many other species depleting the fish stock.

Enright's was a very profound statement;"What is the problem you solved in order to have the problem you have now?" I use it a lot in discussing managment problems.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Tommok [deleted] says:

Or....."What was your temporary solution?" ;-)
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

B G says:

Thank you. Great picture and discussion.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Vít Hassan says:

Perfect colors,very interesting,beautiful image!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

srrk says:

nice picture and beautiful lighting
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

TonZ says:

Hi there, I really liked this picture and thought it fitted well into a blogposting I was writing on weaving social webs. Which is where I used it in accordance with your CC license.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

Pandiyan says:

Thanks folks.

That is an interesting post, Ton. Glad my picture was useful. Thanks for letting me know.
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

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What a tangled web we weave.....

Comments

Jon Block says:

Pandiyan says:

asawaa says:

Jon Block says:

Skyburst says:

annabellafranc [deleted] says:

~Reshma~ says:

Tommok [deleted] says:

Pandiyan says:

Skyburst says:

Tommok [deleted] says:

Ewa's Oceans says:

addicted Eyes says:

eclectic echoes says:

Reciprocity says:

venkyr says:

jah~ says:

Pandiyan says:

artphoto2005 says:

Lynn Morag says:

(vividElangs - Elangovan) says:

peggy. says:

Wind LaSS says:

torontofotobug says:

jinxmcc says:

Pandiyan says:

Tommok [deleted] says:

B G says:

Vít Hassan says:

srrk says:

TonZ says:

Pandiyan says:

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