Anyone who speaks with me about philosophy or ideas will hear me say quite a lot about the ripple effect. In fact, I do believe I may have mentioned it within this opinion column more than once before.

The idea, basically, is that one action causes a ripple that spreads out and affects everything around it — much like the ripple formed on the surface when a pebble is tossed into water.

I decided to use some interesting trivia to help prove my point.

Were it not for Otto Lilienthal, the 19th century aviation pioneer, we likely wouldn’t have the successful “Halloween” movie franchise, and some celebrities may not have been able to start their careers.

Lilienthal (1848-1896) is considered an aviation pioneer because he is the father of the modern glider. And, though his last glider flight was fatal, his approximately 2,000 flights served as deep inspiration for the Wright Brothers who famously went on to conquer the world of powered flight.

His contributions to the aviation world were vast, as the aerodynamic data he collected was crucial to the success of the Wright Brothers.

Almost overnight, the world of flight opened up and soon planes were being used by the military and then commercially by private citizens. By World War II, planes had improved greatly in a short period of time, and leading the fight by air was a key component in military strategy that would only grow with time.

One particular WWII pilot was so enamored with flying and a sense of exploration that he coupled that love with an affinity for science fiction. That man was Gene Rodenberry, who famously went on to write and create the beloved series “Star Trek.”

“Star Trek” quickly became a cultural phenomenon and certain characters in the show became larger than life. The character Spock really struck a chord with pop culture, and the character of Capt. Kirk resonated with boys and young men everywhere.

Like many such things in America, this led to all kinds of merchandise being marketed and sold — among which was Halloween costumes.

Fast forward to the 1970s and young Hollywood director John Carpenter was trying to get his career started. The director was trying to make a movie about a fictional killer named Michael Myers. Things were going relatively well, but Carpenter couldn’t settle on a mask for his villain to wear. Nothing seemed to work.

Carpenter worked with his production designer, and they experimented with different things. It turns out the winning formula was taking a rubber Halloween mask, removing any trace of facial features and making it completely white. The result was a soulless husk with blank eyes that arguably made the Michael Myers character so mythic and disturbing. “Halloween” went on to become one of the most successful movie franchises in American cinema, and launched the career of Jamie Lee Curtis and many other famous actors.

And the mask? It was none other than the mask for the Capt. Kirk costume.

So, with no Otto Lilienthal we have no Wright Brothers, no rapidly advanced powered flight, no military planes, no pilot status for Gene Rodenberry, likely no “Star Trek,” no Capt. Kirk, no Halloween costume/mask, no “Halloween” movie franchise.

The ripples are there, whether we like them or not. And we can’t always predict where they will go and who or what they will affect, but they’re real. And I think that’s an important thing to keep in mind at all times — not just during the holidays.