Isolated Americans

A common theme among sociologists studying American polarization is that our social fabric is fraying.  An early example of this was Robert Putnam’s book “Bowling Alone,” which pointed out that community groups like the Moose or the Elks were dying out.  Mainline churches are sparsely attended, and people no longer share the experience of a movie in a theater.  

Institutions that once brought together people from different social groups (the army, the public high school) no longer perform this function.  Private or charter schools siphon off the wealthy, while the armed forces are drawn mainly from rural areas and the bottom half of the population.  

Facebook and social media also share the blame for the lack of face-to-face interaction.  People insult each other on Twitter and Facebook in a way they would never do in an actual conversation.

I see another problem.  We seldom interact with each other in our daily commerce.  Notice how many people use a card at the pump to purchase gas.  Think about all of the goods that are bought on-line.  Look at the number of meals that are delivered rather than eaten in restaurants.  Consider the number of banks that are closing because people do their banking on-line.  Our grocers, waiters, gas station attendants, tellers–gone. 

Small interactions help us connect.  I don’t know the names of many of the people who brightened my day, but those contacts were important.  Years later I remember the Vietnamese lady at Pete’s Gas Station in San José who set aside the chocolate pops for me.  I miss the tellers at Key Bank in Kresgeville.  Every year there are fewer and fewer of these contacts.  It isn’t just Covid, either.  Those interactions were decreasing long before Covid, and the trend will continue.