Six Degrees of Separation...

Human relationships is a peculiar study. If you are a good student of human behavior, the interactions of supposed stranger is something that stands out. First the introduction, next the background information, then the unsaid body languages and reaction- assumptions made of intentions, personality types, and even match. I think this process takes often less than three minutes at most...and then the unraveling begins. Locations are pin pointed, memories are exchanged, familiar names drop in conversation, details are shared- and boom- they find common ground (or they don't). It can be explained perhaps by the theory of six degrees of separation. 

Six degrees of separation (also referred to as the "Human Web") refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth (source Wikipedia)

Of peculiar application of this theory is just a mental note of what connects you to the next person you sight on a busy street. A cologne? Perhaps a recent visit to a common shop? May be you are from Thailand,and he is wearing a made in Thailand shirt? Perhaps is music taste. Something, something very unique is the six degrees between you and the next, or the before..or the in between. It is this six degrees of separation in our unconscious that we explore when we argue for healthcare for all, when we insist that our fellow country men deserve a decent meal, good roads and basic education. This six degrees is what drives the child of a noble family to the dingiest streets of the third world volunteering time, money and resources to rid the world of poverty that he/she could otherwise ignore. The six degrees of separation is a space explored by the comfortable worker driven by a desire to change the world thereby forcing a change in ambition: from busy bee to researcher. 


How many degrees are we separated? Six? Perhaps two? May be even one...Ponder on that. 


P.S: Hey, and a shout out to the Coogs for delivering a earth shattering 29-28 victory against top ranked Texas Tech...now we move up 12th ranked in the country? Go Coogs!

To the other sports team that made my weekend, even though I am not a fan, may you live long! I speak of Wigan for delivering the death warrant to proud Chelsea. The record will stand, and Chelsea is not even close to being a good football team as much as the gunners. You can see it, but you cannot make it. Go GUNNERS! 

Soundtracks of Our Life

Soundtracks..yeah, that one too. I have soundtracks for everything important I guess...everything worth remembering. I often associate music with important milestones, places and above all trips. Whenever I travel, the music that pops up the most (usually) ends up being the soundtrack for that trip. Also sometimes, the place, the music and perhaps the person(s) all just intersect and makes the music.

However, how about a soundtrack for life? Some music that encapsulates everything life is about. Something that is like the said all, tell all of your lifetime..the yet to be lived, already lived and living all in one. May be a Beatles, Jackson 5 and Commodores super mix? Something just present..constant..fresh..refreshing..okay, may be just focusing. Something resplendent, conforming, or perhaps rebellious? A music of life..a soundtrack for life's journey...

I have one such music..100 years by Five For Fighting...


May be it is my fascination with numbers, or the just prophetic attribute of the song, but the track sure sounds good. On this day, when the calls and the wishes reminds one of how far we have come, how far one is yet to go...and the different tiny bits of the web of human relationships one has formed come together, one can only wish for a hundred years...may be more..but 100 will do.

Noam Choamsky's Hypothesis

This was quite an interesting read; I will suggest you save some brain power for thinking if you decide to pick up Noam's submission of American Imperialism. A suggested read from Hugo Chavez at the UN convention where he identified Bush as the 'Great Satan', I finally read the piece in my summer exploration of foreign affairs (Confessions of an Economic Hit man being a companion read). Well, below is the book in Noam's word.




Background on Noam Chomsky

Chomsky's thought as usual is provoking. But am reminded of a scribble I had scrawled behind the book in conclusion that  "No nation should apologize for using her foreign policy to self advantage; that is the point!; In the same breadth, no country should complain about the disastrous consequences of its selfish diplomacy" 

Fall Reading List

1. I intend to spend September- October reading on developmental politics...two books to explore: Oligarchs (a book on the Russian Lords of Capitalism) and From third world to First (The Singapore Story) by the former long time PM. Am also exploring Blink on audio book...should be good company on my adventures out West.

2. Towards thanksgiving I'll kickstart my proper winter list...hopefully an exploration of world history, starting from home. Two books, a History of the Yorubas by the Legendary Bishop Samuel Johnson & History of Nigeria written by some UT professors should come in handy. On audio, I hope to explore the Gun, Germs  & Steel by Jarred Diamond, if I can lay my hands on it.