i would describe a independent user node network as someone (if the network has 21k nodes it would have an 6 degree of separate) with just 6 channels(average 5-7 range)
where the average would be:
6x6x6x6x6x6 to have everyone inter connected within 6 hops and within 6 channels per node to all 21k nodes
whereby the network if it was truly private and independent, individuals couldnt 'map' / 'visualise' the network even if they tried
whereby the max fee should be just 6x of the standard millisat token fee for a hop becasue all it would take is max of 6 hops
...
however this is not how the network is functioning
firstly the biggest lie.. the invisibility/privacy. as debunked by the many visualisations/maps of the network
if private there should be no way to map the network, not voluntarily or spying
secondly
it is instead a public hub and spoke model.. as people above are now admitting to but saying thats the natural effect.. even though less than 6 months ago they were arrogantly fighting that its an independent and private 'hop'/'route' network that will never centralise
even more recently certain people involved in LN are admitting that the centralisation is happening more often with some hubs refusing connections unless they meet minimum channel balance/htlc min. where they become the inner circle of even larger hubs and those with low balance are left to the outer layers
so although certain people are flip-floppy and then trying to deny their own post history of arrogance and ignorance and ow trying to spin the centralisation as a needed positive.. it is a slight relief they are starting to acknowledge that the hop model is not working for LN. and they are slowly acknowledging the centralisation.
the real centralising factor is not just nodes with 100+ channels. but those nodes only accepting channels with peers of certain balance htlc minimums to create a hierarchy of inner circle high channel balance and outer circle descending balance
for me a hub is a node that has far far more then the 'degree of separation' channels required. and its acceptable balance to create a channel or its minimum HTLC is far more than the average
so nodes requiring more then say 0.07btc per channel and having say 60+ channels. would be considered a hub
.. but just wait for the custodials to jump in and see the network really show off its inner outer circles with the el-three stuff like factories