According to the Guardian, there is 3.74 degrees of separation between users worldwide. This is significantly less than the widely held principle of six degrees of separation, but far bigger than the New Zealand stereotype of two degrees of separation.
I am going to run an experiment, please list any person on either this post or on Facebook and I will see if this person is a mutual friend of any of my friends i.e. two degrees of separation.
This has come about because in Christian circles especially it is so easy to have mutual friends, especially once you get older and see mutual friends on Facebook. Also during the London 2012 Olympics everyone knew someone who knew someone in the Olympics it seemed.
The first rule is, this person must be relatively famous and a New Zealander. We will run a trial of the first ten names listed just to see if I know someone who knows this person. This does rely on people having a profile on Facebook and is only possible if the person mentioned is on Facebook.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/23/facebook-degrees-of-separation
9 comments:
Colin Earl Meads
It ends up that I can't find Sir Colin Meads on Facebook. I do know someone who knows him, but they aren't friends with him on FB. OK next person please?
Lisa Carrington
Nick Willis
Valerie Adams
Mahe Drysdale
According to Facebook I have 12 mutual friends with Nick Willis, so that is 1 from 1.
I can't find Lisa Carrington, Val Adams on FB.
I have no confirmed friends with Mahe Drysdale.
Brooke Fraser
Despite Brooke Fraser having Wellington Christian connections, we don't seem to have any mutual friends. She even has a few profiles of which I have no mutual friends with.
I am thinking that 1 in 3.74 is more realistic than 2 degrees of separation.
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