IP: More people in America watch `Friends' than have friends.

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: Julian Assange <proff () iq org>
>
>
>
> Dave,
>
> Can't recommend this highly enough:
>
> http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/lm/stories/s422145.htm
Leading American sociologist Robert Putnam made this semi-serious claim in 
a talk he gave recently to a large audience at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

Professor Putnam cites public health research which shows that people who 
are socially isolated are as much at risk of death as people who smoke.

Robert Putnam is the author of the term 'social capital', which refers to 
community bonds and interpersonal connections. These, he argues, are just as
important for the public good as economic wellbeing.

His bestselling book 'Bowling Alone: The Decline and Revival of American 
Community' described how on many measures social capital has declined 
dramatically since the 1970s. Putnam analysed factors such as membership of 
voluntary organisations, how often people went on picnics, and levels of
philanthropy, and found sharp declines on all fronts.

He blames television, but not computers - the internet, he says, has rich 
possibilities for new connections. Commuting long distances by car is seen as
one of the most disconnecting developments of the late 20th century. It 
robs people of time they'd otherwise spend with family and friends.

The solution is not to try and return to the past, Putnam says. The 
challenge is to re-invent ways for people to connect with each other, just 
as newly industrialised and urbanised societies had to do at the end of 
last century.

<snip>

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