Cave, Solaria, & Small Worlds

The Small-World of the Blogosphere – specifically the section called “What is a small-world network?”

The Internet, The Small World, and The Nature of Distance

The concept of Cave, Solaria, & Small Worlds is very intriguing.

Cave – “Individuals are confined to live out their lives in an isolated cave. As such, every individual knows just about every other individual in their cave, but very rarely will anyone know anybody else outside their cave.”

Solaria – “Individuals living in isolation, spread out across the surface of a planet. Their only way to communicate with each other is through a virtual device which connects them to another individual without regard for previous social connections.”

Small-Worlds – “Networks arise at the intersection of these two opposing systems [caves and solaria], where there is a relatively high tendency to cluster and a high incidence of inter-cluster connections.”

Traditional societies/communities were very much like Caves. The modern world brought about (atleast the ideal of) the Solaria (which is adapted from Isaac Asmivo’s novels). Contrary to what a lot of people assume, postmodernity (whatever that is!) does not bring about, naturally, “Small-worlds” networks. I think people are questioning the “solaria” ideal and longing for small-worlds lives. But pomo as a worldview is just as fragmented – if not more so, as modernity. I think the church, the people of God, have a tremendous opportunity to create small-worlds networks. Caves are impossible – though many “Christian” seperatists/fundamentalists wish for the purity of “Christian Culture”. Solarias are also ultimately impossible – though many “mega-churches” function out of this worldview. Small-worlds may be possible – though it isn’t simply a given.