Why is it true people are connected by 6 degrees of separation?

Answer 1

It's unclear that the proposition is true for EVERY human being on Earth. The point is supposed to be that between you and someone like Kevin Bacon are five people in the chain of acquaintances between you and him, i.e., you know someone,who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows Kevin Bacon.

For well-known people, i.e., celebrities, it's not impossible to create such a chain of acquaintances. For example, while I personally don't know the actor Jackie Chan, my wife has met him. Therefore, anyone who Jackie Chan knows is only one more degree of separation from me, such as Owen Wilson.

However, in the case of some native of an isolated island in the Pacific, the chain might not fit in six degrees of separation from you or me.

Answer 2

I agree with arbiter00, but it is possible to make connections - our brains do it all the time. For example kid x lives in an isolated tribe in Africa, Oprah has been to Africa, Oprah is an actress, Kevin Bacon is an actor,...

It isn't exactly what was intended by the whole conectedness thing, but it is interesting eh?