In our everyday lives, we often encounter moments where the phrase “It’s a small world” seems almost too fitting. Whether it’s bumping into an old friend in a far-off city or discovering that a new acquaintance shares a mutual connection, these coincidences are frequent enough to be a universal experience. From the perspective of simulation theory, which posits that our reality could be an advanced, computer-generated simulation, such experiences might not be random at all. Instead, they could be seen as a product of efficiency in the programming of our simulated world.
The Economy of Experience
In any simulation, whether it’s a video game or a theoretical construct like our reality, resources are limited. Processing power, memory, and storage all need to be managed carefully to maintain a smoothly running simulation. In this context, the recurrence of similar experiences and memories among people might be a deliberate design choice to conserve resources. By ensuring that many individuals share certain core experiences, the simulation doesn’t have to create entirely unique paths and scenarios for every person.
This approach could be compared to the use of procedural generation in modern video games. Rather than designing every single detail of a vast open world, developers create algorithms that generate content on the fly, using a set of predefined rules and assets. Similarly, the “small world” effect might be the result of a form of procedural social interaction, where the simulation reuses and repurposes familiar scenarios to create the illusion of a complex, interconnected reality.
Shared Memories: The Ultimate Efficiency
Memories are a fundamental part of our identities, shaping how we perceive the world and interact with others. In a simulated environment, generating unique memories for billions of individuals would be incredibly resource-intensive. Instead, the simulation might employ a system where many people share similar or even identical memories, albeit with minor variations. This would explain why so many of us recall similar childhood experiences, cultural touchstones, or even specific events that seem oddly familiar.
These shared memories could be seen as pre-programmed “modules” that the simulation deploys across different individuals to streamline the process of memory creation. By doing so, the simulation maintains the illusion of depth and diversity in human experience, while actually reusing the same fundamental building blocks. It’s a cost-saving measure, ensuring that the system doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel for each individual.
Social Connections as a Network Optimization
Social networks, both digital and real-world, often reveal surprising connections between people. These networks can appear vast and sprawling, yet at the same time, closely knit and interconnected. From the viewpoint of simulation theory, these networks could be the result of an optimized algorithm designed to maintain a balance between randomness and predictability. By ensuring that people are more interconnected than they might otherwise be, the simulation reduces the complexity of tracking countless independent social webs.
This interconnectedness also means that the simulation can recycle social interactions and relationships, creating a more manageable system of human connections. For instance, when you meet someone new, and it turns out you share multiple mutual friends, it might not be a coincidence. Instead, it could be the simulation’s way of simplifying the process of integrating a new person into your social circle by leveraging pre-existing relationships.
The Illusion of Complexity
One of the hallmarks of a well-designed simulation is its ability to create the illusion of complexity from relatively simple rules. The “It’s a small world” phenomenon could be one of the ways in which our simulated reality achieves this. By carefully controlling the overlap of experiences, memories, and social connections, the simulation creates a world that feels richly detailed and deeply interconnected, even if it is, in fact, built on a foundation of reused and recycled elements.
This approach would not only conserve resources but also ensure that the simulation remains stable and coherent. After all, a truly random and chaotic system might be harder to control and predict, leading to potential glitches or inconsistencies in the simulation. By embracing a certain degree of familiarity and repetition, the simulation maintains order and prevents the breakdown of the perceived reality.
Conclusion: The Small World as a Design Choice
From the perspective of simulation theory, the “It’s a small world” phenomenon isn’t just a quirk of human experience—it’s a deliberate design choice. By ensuring that people share similar experiences, memories, and social connections, the simulation efficiently manages its resources while maintaining the illusion of a complex, interconnected world. The next time you find yourself marveling at a coincidence or reflecting on a shared memory, consider the possibility that these moments are not random but carefully crafted elements of a simulated reality designed to be both resource-efficient and convincingly real.
