The Six Degrees of Connection
While beginning to reflect on the six degrees of connection, two things caught my eye. Apart from the fleeting Kevin Bacon appearance, interconnectedness and the importance of hubs caught my attention. As someone who loves to network and enjoys meeting new people, I figure that interconnectedness is a big part of my life. However, in the last few years, I have realized the importance of keeping the prominent members of my vast network closer to me. Little did I know, until I watched the video that these were the hubs on my smartphone contacts list.
Interconnectedness
With smartphones and the internet prevalent, the world is interconnected. Of course, barring a few places. Since the inception of social media, it has been possible to connect with people from various parts of the globe without having to play the ‘Six Degrees’ game. However, one aspect covered in the video about interconnectedness was the idea that everything is connected despite us not being able to see it.
Interconnectedness is also evident and prevalent in several systems. Some of these systems include financial, socio-economic, technological, and biological systems.
Importance of Hubs
Nodes within networks that have a large network of nodes. The key difference between hubs and interconnected networks is that if hubs or ‘key players’ are removed, then the entire system falls apart. Or is delayed at the very least? I believe that both interconnectedness and hubs play a vital role in ensuring systems and processes run smoothly.
Real-world scenarios
Below are a few scenarios from my personal experience/observations.
- Traffic congestion hubs — Traffic signals that have many vehicles passing through are crucial in this scenario. Should one of these signals (hubs) stop working, there will be traffic across several other parts of the city as well. This level of interconnectedness can be seen in highly populated cities such as New Delhi, Bengaluru (Bangalore), and even Metro Manila.
- Interconnectedness within supply chains — Similar to the previous example, supply chains in manufacturing plants are interconnected. Moreover, there are several hubs along the way that can have a deep impact on the supply chain should they cease operations.
- Football management and performance — As a football fan, this example is important to me on a personal level. Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, decided to release Cristiano Ronaldo (the best player in the world) from his contract. While most pundits believed that this was a poor decision by ten Hag. However, Manchester United’s form improved and so did their performances on the pitch, something that saw them win a domestic cup. In this case, Ronaldo’s presence in the team proved to be the hub. After it was removed, things became better for United and ten Hag.
To conclude, it is important to understand and appreciate the interconnectedness around us. However, it is even more important to recognize the positive or negative hubs that are present in these networks as well.
Watch the video — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rzxAyY7D7k
