What is to be done? PLUS, some special guest appearances!

The final section of Bowling Alone gives us some challenges that the author would like to see society meet by 2010. What, 2010 is already passed? Yes, well, as I think I've mentioned before, this book was published in 2000. So, to try to bring us up to date a bit for this final posting, I'll include some information on what the author, Robert Putnam, has been up to since this book was published.

First, Mr. Putnam's challenges to our year-2000 versions of us are that we:

• "Ensure that workplaces are substantially more family-friendly and community-congenial, so that American workers will be enabled to replenish our stocks of social capital both within and outside the workplace."

• "Spend less time traveling and more time connecting with our neighbors. 

• "Will live in more integrated and pedestrian--friendly area, and that the design of our communities and the availability of public space will encourage more casual socializing with friends and neighbors."

• "That we will be more deeply engaged in one or another spiritual community of meaning, while at the same time becoming more tolerant of the faiths and practices of other Americans." 

• "Spend less leisure time sitting passively alone in front of glowing screens and more time in ative connection with our fellow citizens."

• "Foster new forms of electronic entertainment and communication that reinforce community engagement rather than forestalling it."

• "Participate in cultural activities and discover new ways t use the arts as a vehicle for convening diverse groups of fellow citizens."

• "Participate in the pubic life of our communities - running for office, attending public meetings, serving on communities, campaigning in elections, and even voting." 

So, how do you think society has done in the last ten years?

I decided to check in with Bowling Alone's author, Robert Putnam, to see what he's been up to in the last decade. Indeed, it appears that he thinks we still need more work in the above areas. So, Mr. Putnam and is colleagues have begun some fascinating websites with current research and tips on how to improve social capital in our society. If you're interested in this topic, I'd suggest taking a look at these websites that are both the result of a report that calls for "a nationwide campaign to redirect a downward spiral of civic apathy."

Better Together
www.bettertogether.org

The Saguaro Seminar
www.hks.harvard.edu/saguaro

Oh, the special guests appearances!...
One chapter towards the end of Bowling Alone compared the era that most research was taken from for this book to an era that the author believes to have been comparable in terms of being a time with tremendous change across many aspects of society: the years between about 1870 and 1900. In this chapter, it was nice to see names pop up from past CSU classes:

• Jane Addams was was praised for creating Hull House which brought the social challenges that many Americans were facing to the attention of others. Nice "bridging social capital" here!

• John Dewey "blames cheap entertainment for the decline of civic involvement" during this time. He thought it was so easy for people to entertain themselves that this created a "diversion from political concern."

• The Chautauqua Movement was a great creator of social capital as it traveled across the country, providing education and many opportunities for Americans to bond.

It was nice to see these familiar names and learn about how they felt about and contributed to social capital in their age.

Thanks to all of your for your great comments and posts to my blog! I enjoyed reading your thoughts.