The next monthly discussion meetup is SUNDAY, August 4 @ 2 PM (see below for location etc.). For this month, we’re going to discuss the (supposed) decline of social capital (social connections), an idea popularized by Robert Putnam in “Bowling Alone”. Has social interaction declined? How does technology-mediated interaction factor in? What are the implications for society? Democracy? Any solutions, to the extent they’re necessary? See below for some optional readings/media.
Please feel free to come even if you’re worried it will be awkward, you won’t fit in, or you aren’t the “typical person who comes to a Rationality meetup.” We are welcoming (albeit occasionally argumentative)! And remember, readings/media are optional (i.e. no homework necessary).
READINGS/MEDIA
Regarding original Putnam work:
Original Putnam Book:
Summary of “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community” (Putnam 2000)
https://www.beyondintractability.org/bksum/putnam-bowling
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Putnam 2000)
http://bowlingalone.com
Early essay that inspired the book:
Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital (Putnam 1995)
https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/16643
Updated & Additional Perspectives
Report from the Joint Economic Committee – Republicans
“Does Government Crowd Out Social Capital?”
(see executive summary for overview)
https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2022/12/does-government-crowd-ot-social-capital
Revisiting Declines in Social Capital: Evidence from a New Measure (Weiss et al. 2019)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10857850/
Podcast interview with Robert Putnam, author of “Bowling Alone”:
The Interview’: Robert Putnam Knows Why You’re Lonely
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7FEVEzG6R1Bf0qw5AeHkIL?si=p9QEaXQPRwG05QCMmgNVUQ
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interview-robert-putnam-knows-why-youre-lonely/id1200361736?i=1000662102883
DATE & LOCATION
Date: SUNDAY, 8/4 @ 2pm–4pm (roughly)
Location: South Loop Strength & Conditioning – upstairs in the mezzanine
645 S Clark
Chicago IL 60605
Note: Todd owns this gym so that’s why there’s a Rationality meetup at a gym 🙂
If you have trouble finding us, please DM Shane on the Discord, post in “meetups”, or text 608-436-1809.
RESOURCES
Email list and discussion topics archive » https://chicagorationality.com
Discord » https://discord.gg/eDHq3TXrH3
Events Calendar »
General: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=info%40chicagorationality.com&ctz=America%2FChicago
iCal (e.g for iOS): https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/info%40chicagorationality.com/public/basic.ics
