Thank you for that, I'd heard of it. Just "one-clicked" it from Amazon, after reading this read from the Industry Standard (may it r.i.p.):
Putnam argues that the hollowing out of our democratic infrastructure began suddenly in the late 1960s, when the first generation raised on television reached adulthood. The privatizing effects of television, Putnam estimates, have caused about 25 percent of the decline in social and civic engagement.
To a lesser degree, Putnam also cites the rise of two-career families, suburban sprawl and the resulting increase in commuting, all of which siphon off time, energy and interest in social activities. Combine these factors with devastating demographic momentum, where decreasing engagement by parents begets even less involvement on the part of their children, and the result is a very slippery slope indeed...
In the 1950s, my dad was a mason, belonged to a synagogue, played gin rummy with friends, read the newspaper every day, helped run the campaign of a candidate for county sheriff and voted in virtually every election. In sociological terms, my dad had a lot of social capital - a rich network of formal and informal relationships that were personally and professionally beneficial - and he was engaged in civic and political affairs. In short, he was just the sort Alexis de Tocqueville had in mind when he spoke of the American propensity for "forever forming associations" - and he wasn't alone.
As Robert Putnam shows in his new book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, my dad was a product of the most civically engaged generation of the 20th century. But as he and others of the civic generation have passed from the scene, their children and their children's children have become increasingly disconnected from civic life and social networks. Not only are they voting less - nationwide turnout is down by about 25 percent since 1960 - but they are also far less engaged in civic and religious organizations, community projects, having friends over for dinner, card clubs and myriad other group activities.
Our growing social-capital deficit threatens educational performance, safe neighborhoods, equitable tax collection, democratic responsiveness, everyday honesty, and even our health and happiness
amazon.com |
