Six Jumps to Anyone

Pick anyone, anywhere, a name you've never heard A farmer in a valley where you don't speak a word You know someone, who knows someone, who's met someone who's met That farmer, in about six jumps, you're closer than you'd bet

Six jumps to anyone, the whole world's stitched up tight Six jumps to anyone, we're closer than the maps make it feel like Miles don't measure it, whose hand you're holding does Everybody's just a few good hops from everybody on the land

The internet works this way too, all clusters of small roads Hopping node to node, instead of one giant road A message finds its target just by asking the next friend "You closer? pass it back", all the way to the end

Six jumps to anyone, the whole world's stitched up tight Six jumps to anyone, a small world hiding in plain sight A power grid, a brain, a flock of birds in flight All wired the same way, a few hubs holding the light

It's a few well-connected folks who bridge me to you More than everyone simply knowing everyone, plain and true A friend who traveled, a cousin who moved, a coworker who knew The scientist, the president, the fisherman too

Six jumps to anyone, the whole world's stitched up tight Six jumps to anyone, closer than you thought tonight Pick up the thread, follow it, see where it goes You're never as far from a stranger as the distance shows