The Dunbar Number

FABLES FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN
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“Dunbar's number is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships—relationships in which an individual knows who each person is and how each person relates to every other person.” I was reading an article by one of my favorite writers, Eric Barker. It was loaded with fun facts about social relationships and this amazing number.

-Average person sends 154 Christmas cards
-Average wedding has 144 guests.
-Average hunter-gatherer tribe? 148.4
-Average size of medieval villages? 150
-Average Facebook friends? 150 to 250
-Average number of email contacts? 150

“Nearly every study out there shows natural human communities and personal social networks seem to have a typical size of about 150.”

Average person has:

5 close people they talk to weekly

15 friends they talk to monthly

50 people they talk to twice a year

150 people they reach out to once a year

These statistics holds across societies and cultures and time. It seems to be hardwired into us. That’s because connection is super important to your health, wellbeing, and survival, I know it’s Covid time and I know it’s hard, but make sure you're getting the connection you need and giving the connection other people need. Nothing is more important than love. I love you. - Granny

I love you,
Granny

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