Re: Reducing the six degrees of separation

ijeanes — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:10:42 -0000

That maybe true. But hyperconnectivity might very well be under a different classification to the 6 degrees. I'm connected to some people through Linked In who I haven't met yet, and they might not necessarily be interested in meeting me because of my job title, length of time I've been employed in my job, past employers etc. Personality is effectively what makes connections and the connection is created through association and common ground.

As I'm speaking I'm losing my point because I actually totally agree with what you say about the 6 degrees of separation... but I don't think the use of technology can replace a quality relationship where friendships and business connections are made. This is where my answer evolves... there are certainly pluses and minuses to using such devices to build relationships - lord knows it's something I'm trying to experiment with... but eventually, if technology prevails over personality, there will be a social revolution where people will meet people. I can see it now.

But in saying all of that, I think this social evolution of technology means that introductions are softer, easier and take away the awkwardness that comes with social interaction and initial introductions... like the prejudices of this world. Thanks to spellchecker etc even dyslexics can feel comfortable. People with Stutter can prevail in fluent conversation... It will further open up the social world but whether it will become so strong as to take away the joys of meeting someone face-to-face, I really hope not. :-)

Re: Reducing the six degrees of separation

ijeanes — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:41:13 -0000

Hey. Great posting.

I agree to a point that such technologies might reduce this degree of separation but with things like Twitter and Facebok, it's so easy to not be entirely connected. There are two points I'm trying to make and I digress easily so apologies... but... 1) You can be quite passive with online relationships and not engage in the same manner as verbal mean and 2) You can have a very different relationship on these sites to ones you'd have through the normal means.

MEANING: Each of the people through the degrees of seperation are relationships are most likely to be built on physical connectivity and not electrical. I personally think that the thing that gets reduced through Web 2.0 technologies, isn't the degree of separation necesarily, but the degree of introduction. It's far easier to introduce yourselves through the anonymity or safe-keeping of being online than getting out there and being physically introduced and having barriers that are normally alongside face-to-face contact.

But whilst, I feel that it won't cut down on the degree of separation as comparable means, it certainly opens up an enitre new way of meeting people who you would normally fail to notice or engage with for reasons the comes with face-to-face meetings. Could such technologies close the gap on communities who fail to engage with others because of prejudice? Do you think it's possible that because emotion/tone/accents etc, can be disguised or aren't conveyed as easily as face-to-face, that prejudicism will change for the better?

A new question entirely... and I've totally changed the focus for my point but it's evidently opened a window I didn't realise was there. Oxygen anybody?

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Re: Reducing the six degrees of separation

Re: Reducing the six degrees of separation