I was randomly wondering today, how many living people are there walking around that have met the Doors' Jim Morrison in person?
Then, this got me wondering the question in the subject of my post - How many people does the average American meet in a lifetime?
We'd have to define "meet". Webster says "to come face-to-face" or "to come into the presence of". This is too broad of a definition for my question. If I work as a cashier and Jim Morrison buys a pack of gum from me, that doesn't really count. Yes, we came face-to-face, but we didn't exchange names, we didn't share any conversation, perhaps we didn't even make eye contact.
Let's agree to use the following definition: meeting someone qualifies if ANY of the following takes place - 1) hands shaken with eye contact and acknowledgment 2) names exchanged with eye contact and aknowledgment 3) any form of substantial conversation takes place in person.
Any mathematicians or statisticians out there?
PS. If Lagat breaks the American record, and you're in the front row of the stands, and he high-fives you as he runs past, that doesn't count as meeting.