Saturday, 11-May-2024


So, I love learning about “small” events that triggered larger cascades of events.

Things like the Bar Kokhba rebellion in Roman times (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt), which directly and indirectly led to Christianity, the creation of Palestine, the Jewish Diaspora, and… basically majorly contributed to the entire world that we currently live in.

Or, things like the Laki eruption, which caused the Skaftareldahraun lava flow… along with (debatably) the French Revolution and thus the general fall of most European monarchies.

Yeah. Little things.


I was driving to meet up with my friends in a town who’s name I still can’t pronounce (Ed Note: kirkjubæjarklaustur. No, the editor can’t pronounce it either), and I noticed a pull out on the side of the road, in the middle of what looked to be a medium-old lava field.

Roadtrip Rule – stop and look at neat things as often as you can.

I stopped, I walked, and I read the signage.

It was… really, really interesting. This is one of the many reasons I love travelling – I’d never have known about the Laki eruption if I hadn’t visited Iceland. Even though it contributed so significantly to the entire world I live in… It’s just one cog in the machine that’s created our society, so easily lost in the midst of the cascade of events. How many more little things don’t I know about? And how many are happening right now?

I’m gonna find out, at least as best I can.