Abstract

We've all heard of the small world phenomenon--the idea that each one of us can be connected to everyone else through only "six degrees of separation". But where did this idea come from? Is it true? And if it is, what implications does it have for the problems of modern society? In this talk, I sketch out the scholarly history of the small world problem (alongside its meteoric rise in popular culture), from its origins in sociology to an explosion of recent work in physics and mathematics. I also discuss (very briefly) the importance of "six degrees" to a range of issues, from individuals searching for jobs and organizations solving complex problems, to the spread of disease epidemics and the cascade-like dynamics of cultural fads. In the modern world, I argue, it is not sufficient simply to recognize that we are all connected; we must understand both the patterns of those connections and they way they drive our individual and collective behavior.