Rubbish!

Charles Kadushin, in his article about Social Network Theory, raises the point that many people are probably more than six degrees apart because of their environment.

Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qXJ1DAfYBA.

Now, I believe that it's safe to say that we here in the US are no more than six degrees away from anyone else who is from a nation as developed as ours. The map at this link: http://web.ges.gla.ac.uk/~mshand/africawww/Image7.jpg, will show you how Internet connectivity on the African continent has progressed in recent years. This map is deceptive, however, because after much further research, I've discovered that much of the continent is still disconnected due to geographical issues and a lack of funding to cope with it. With the continent being so disconnected, how can one say that someone in the western plains of Cote d'Ivoire is only six degrees of separation from myself? It is possible, surely, but very unlikely. Only the most modern cities would have sufficient connectivity and the infrastructure to support a man hunt of this kind.

The Six Degrees theory emerged in 1967 at a time when America had no Internet connectivity. Supposing the theory was applicable then, most Americans at this point cannot be many more than 3 or 4 degrees away from one another.

Environment takes its toll, however, because once someone from this country tries to link up with someone from another, language barriers will likely begin inhibiting the ultimate success of this task. For instance, how would you locate someone in Karuizawa, Japan? 丁度 ("exactly").

Many barriers, including social, cultural, geographic, and financial exist that make the theory of six degrees more applicable to today's society more than ever before, however I retain my skepticism that this theory held truth in 1967. Only in small application has it yielded positive results. Six Degrees may work for you, but only if you and your target fit into the right 'category'.

Kadushin: http://sixdegrees.wikidot.com/local--files/reading-history/kadushin.pdf