Social Networking Empowers “Six Degree of Separation” Connection
Although many people have issues with social networking platforms, I am absolutely thrilled and appreciative for the advances in social media technology. After using and advocating for social media integration for more than 20 years, very little surprises me but I must share any amazing “six degrees of separation” experience. The existence of a popular social networking platform enabled me to reconnect with a public health colleague and friend living in Ankara, Turkey after a “random” meeting with a laboratory colleague living in Baltimore, Maryland USA.
While visiting a local medical laboratory in Baltimore City, I was introduced to a newly hired laboratorian who had literally just started working that day. During a conversation with the colleague, I recognized a very familiar accent and asked where she was originally from. She replied “Turkey… Ankara, Turkey actually.” After her response, I expressed that I had worked in Ankara in the late 80s and proceeded to share a few, memorable Ankara-based experiences such as staying at the Kent Hotel; shopping underground in Kizilay; and visiting Güven Park. After showing her a couple of posted photos on a social media site, her response was a pleasant surprise! When she expressed that she saw several familiar faces in my photos, I literally was speechless.
After almost 30 years since working with a team of medical and public health colleagues in Ankara, Turkey, I had encountered a “six degrees of separation” connection in Baltimore City, Maryland USA. Over the years since leaving Turkey, I have thought often about a particular Turkish colleague who assisted the USA medical/clinical team. My experiences of learning, exploring and embracing Ankara will always be a highlight of my professional and personal career. The professionalism, hospitality and kindness of my Turkish colleague bookmarked the “routine” medical training assignment for years to come. Over the span of 30 years, technology and social media have evolved to the point that physical location and distance are not barriers to establishing connections (or reconnections). Social networking manifested a Turkish-American reconnection via a “six degrees of separation” connection overcoming a distance of more than 5,000 miles. It is no surprise that social networking embodies Karinthy’s hypothesis… “Six Degree of Separation”.
It was in 1929 that the Hungarian author, Frigyes Karinthy posited that “any two individuals could be connected through at most five acquaintances”. It was his belief that an individual could be connected to an acquaintance through no more than five other individuals by using a network of personal acquaintances. In my case, social networking empowered me to connect with a new colleague and reconnect with another colleague through a network of personal acquaintances. Indeed, a “six degree of separation” experience!
