What's So Bad About Bowling Alone?

Back in 2000, political scientist Robert D. Putnam published a best-selling book arguing that America's supply of "social capital"--the web of interpersonal interactions that made for a healthy community--was badly depleted.  The title, Bowling Alone, came from his observation that although more Americans were bowling than ever before, they weren't bowling in leagues.  At first blush this might sound trivial, but from my childhood I can conjure up memories of what he meant.  My parents belonged to a bowling league and went bowling on a weekly basis.  This put them in regular contact with a group of people who, while not necessarily close friends, were acquainted with each other well enough that they could rely on each other not just for socializing (in itself an important human need), but also for help when needed.

Putnam's research indicated that this had survival value.  Joining and participating in one group, he asserted, cut in half one's odds of dying next year.  That might be stretching a point, but few would argue that disconnectedness is anything but detrimental.  Lonely people are seldom healthy people.

The Bowling Alone web site can provide you with a lot more background.

When I first became acquainted with the book I thought Putnam's argument was compelling.  I still think it's important.  But one day I had an epiphany.  Putnam, I decided, was basically wrong.  Community had not become attenuated.  It had migrated into cyberspace.  Literally millions of people were finding community online:  in chat rooms, on message boards, dating sites, and so on.

Organization for political and social action no longer depended on the slow mobilization of concerned people.  A single web site or blog could reach thousands of like-minded persons.  As I write this, almost two decades after Bowling Alone appeared, newly-elected Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez received 62 percent of her campaign contributions from small-dollar donors (less than $200).  Without the Internet and social media that would have been virtually impossible.  Similarly, supporters of President Trump have so far donated $15.6 million in funds to construct the Border Wall that Mexico won't pay for--nor, thus far, the U.S. government.

So maybe "bowling alone" isn't so bad after all.  The question remains, however:  is "virtual" community (community in cyberspace) as healthy as "real world" community?

I'll tackle that issue in my next post.