[pork]

> If you make 30 million people's lives just a tad bit easier, then yes, you've changed the world.

By that reasoning, if I kick a rock on the street and it shifts 10 feet to the left, I've changed the world too.

EDIT: more analogies

* Bic pens have changed the world

* Toilet paper has changed the world

* Shoes have changed the world

[jaredsohn]

Kicking a rock on the street is different than the other examples you gave in that the directly measured impact is minimal.

It is possible that it could cause major change (in a butterfly effect kind of way), but usually it would be hard to measure and predict.

But if you kick a rock and a few days later that rock ends up causing an accident of an "important" person you did in fact "change the world" by kicking that rock.

IMO, the other things that you mentioned have changed the world.

[mcantor]

Dude, if I invented toilet paper or shoes, I would be pretty fuckin' proud.

Just saying.