The article entitled “Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and Six Degrees of Separation” by Ivan Misner can be found at the following site: http://www.healthywealthynwise.com/article.asp?Article=5203

In this article, Ivan Misner argues that the notion of “Six Degrees of Separation” in which we are all connected to each other by at most six intermediary links is a myth…to a certain extent. He cites Stanley Milgram’s series of “small world” experiments as “revolutionary” in that they sparked new discussion and understanding in the field of networks and social analysis. However, many people have misconstrued the findings of Milgram’s studies over the years.

As we learned from class, even in Milgram’s most successful study involving the sending of letters to a man in Massachusetts, he achieved a success rate of only 29%. In this fraction, the average number of steps from the starter to the target was about 6. In another of his “small world” experiments, only 5% of participants completed the chain successfully. From the series of studies performed by Milgram and others, it was generally concluded and accepted that everyone in the entire world is connected by about six degrees of separation.

Misner states two reasons why he has a problem with this “urban legend.” First, he says that the myth creates complacency. “The thought that everyone is absolutely connected to everyone else on the planet by six degrees gives some people a false sense of expectation and thus lulls them into a sense that the connection is bound to happen sooner or later, no matter what they do.” Secondly, the studies indicate that being a part of the fraction of people who can be connected by Six Degrees of Separation is a “skill that can be acquired. With reading, training, and coaching, people can develop their networking skills, increase their connections, and become part of the roughly 29% of people that are, in fact, separated from the rest of the world by only six degrees.”

Misner’s point is that we are not “all” connected by Six Degrees of Separation; rather there is a relatively small fraction of us who are. In fact, as we know, Milgram’s findings support this claim. However, it is entirely possible to be a part of that special fraction through education, practice, and training. Networking is a skill that has great power and potential. By understanding and developing that skill, people can set themselves apart from their competition in whatever they may do.

Having just discussed the Six Degrees of Separation concept in class this past week, I believe that this article sparks an interesting thought by giving us a critical viewpoint on the topic. We must remember that not everyone on this earth is connected by six links, but there exists a smart and skilled group who are.