Plenty of people ... but we're home alone
"Organisational membership is down. We are less likely to attend church. Political parties and unions are bleeding members. Sporting participation and cultural attendance are down. ... We have fewer friends and are less connected with our neighbours than in the mid-80s."
"So what explains the trends in social capital? ... Australian sociologist Eva Cox takes the view that free markets undermine trust and reciprocity. She writes that 'the idea of the social is losing ground to the concepts of competition, and the money markets are replacing governments. The social aspects of humanity have somehow disappeared and we are left with a more atomised image of individuals competing in an endless process of distrust.'"
The article lists a few other (mostly obvious) points but it's worth a read. It's an excerpt from Disconnected, a book by Andrew Leigh, a book that I've added to my list of things to read in the not too distant future.
No comments:
Post a Comment