Six Degrees of Separation

Six degrees of separation (also referred to as the "Human Web") in simple terms refers to the idea that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. We are bound to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people. This theory was popularized in a play written by John Guare.

I had a recent six degrees of separation experience lately. My brother in law wrote to me about his friend who needs a little help in migrating to Canada. I wrote back asking for more details about the friend. Meanwhile, at the back at my mind I was wondering how to ask assistance from somebody on the other side of Canada for somebody I don't even know.

When the reply came, it turned out the migrating friend was a former NSC employee I used to work with! I still don't know how my brother in law in Saudi Arabia knew my former NSC colleague in Vietnam.

Maybe, there really are just six degrees of separation between us and everyone else on this planet. Or even less.

Try linking yourself to George Dubya or Barack Obama in just six degrees. Who knows?