Social Capital and Transformation

"We're always behind metal and glass. Think we miss that touch so much, we crash into each other just to feel something."

So states one of the lead characters from 2004’s Crash, an Academy Award-winning film that dealt with disconnect and racism in Los Angeles, one of the U.S.’s most sprawling cities. The feeling of being alone and isolated even when surrounded by millions of people is one that reaches all corners of the globe, causing us to long for the days of solid communities and close-knit relationships with co-workers, neighbors and friends. Are the days of weekly club meetings and borrowing sugar from the neighbor simply nostalgic or can we regain a sense of community and connectedness, even in the modern world we have created? Several researchers have claimed that yes, we can revive our communities, but much work is needed to undo the damage. We must look at the cause, effect and at the past to learn how we can change what we have become.

But first off, what have we become? Author Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone, 2000) claims that our social capital keeps us healthy, happy and thriving. Social capital refers to “the connections among individuals and the social networks that arise from them” (Putnam, page19). The more social capital we have, in essence, the more relationships we have, the better off we are. We invest “in social relations with expected returns in the marketplace,” (Lin, page 19) meaning we form friendships and networks with people who we think will help us succeed economically and socially. Social capital is made up of all kinds of resources in a social structure that are used for moving forward, mobilizing a group and getting to a personal or common goal (Lin, page 29).

In past decades, much of our social capital came from organizations we belonged to and the networks we made through them. Fraternities and sororities, church groups, service clubs, sports teams and civil rights organizations are all examples of bonding and bridging social capital. Throughout the years however, membership in all of these community based organizations have waned, leaving many wondering if groups such as the ones mentioned above will become extinct. In fact, almost all forms of community participation have decreased, from political activeness, to civic organizations, to church attendance to workplace unions and guilds. The only places where group memberships and communities seem to be growing are in web-based networks, such as message board communities and chat groups. “Cybernetworks fuse socio-economic-technological elements in social relations and social capital” (Lin, page 238).

Why the dramatic shift from community-based living and social activeness towards isolation and privacy? During the beginning of the century, Americans were extremely active in the social and political life of their neighborhoods (Putnam, page 183). Then, all across the board, people stopped being so involved. There are many reasons one would give for not being able to join an organization or participate in the community. Number one would be busyness- people feel as if they don’t have the time. But research shows us that Americans today actually have more free time than ever before. They just choose to use it doing activities that make the day zoom by- such as commuting long hours or watching TV.

Another reason people are disconnected from their communities is because of mobility and sprawl. “Suburbanization meant greater separation of workplace and residence,” (Putnam, Page 207) meaning that people no longer work, play, dine and worship in the communities where they live. They may drive 45 minutes to work, 20 minutes to church, and an hour to visit relatives. More time in the car means more time alone. Houses are built farther away from each other, with fences and gates surrounding them for even more privacy. Most suburban homes aren’t even connected by a sidewalk, meaning walking to a neighbor’s house or watching children play in the streets is a thing of the past. Meeting people while walking to a location forms a branch of social capital and with fewer sidewalks connecting us to towns and neighbors, the less sense of community one has.

Electronic media has played one of the most important roles in destroying community. “More television watching means less of virtually every form of civic participation and social involvement” (Putnam, page 228). People will become more devoted to a TV show than to a social issue or community event. Young people who have grown up with TV are shown to be more socially isolated and ignorant, with fewer close friends. Obesity in children and television viewing go hand-in-hand and also account for dropping membership in outdoor activities. TV numbs our senses to violence and social problems, encourages materialism and promotes laziness. This isn’t to say all TV programs are bad, but the more time a person spends alone and in front of the TV, the less connected and caring they are towards their community, because they just aren’t there.

Family structure and change in roles has caused a rift in community activeness. Women were once the more active members of community-based organizations but as they began to work full time, attendance of these groups fell. Higher divorce rates mean that children spend time traveling back and forth between parents and don’t grow as connected to their neighbors and community as children who grew up in a stable home. People move so often that they find it pointless to get to know the people living next door.

And finally, generational change is a huge factor in the decline of civic involvement. Whereas the older generation- the parents of the Boomers- were steady volunteers and active in the community, their children and grandchildren are not, although there has been a rise of volunteerism in today’s youth. The groups that were once faithfully attended by our grandparents no longer appeal to the new generation. There are fewer leaders in these organizations and most of them have gray hair. Once these people are no longer with us, the organizations will end, as their numbers already show them to be dying off. Hopefully out of this will arise new groups, lead by the younger generation.

Does it matter that people are opting to spend less time in community-based organizations and more time pursuing their own activities? The answer is, yes. Putnam writes that “Communication is a fundamental prerequisite for social and emotional connections” (Putnam, page 171). Without these connections, we start to feel isolated, lonely and depressed. Research suggests that “civic connections help make us healthy, wealthy and wise” (Putnam, page 287). Without relationships with the leaders and neighbors in our communities, we tend to distrust the unfamiliar. We find we have fewer friends or even no one to turn to in times of crisis. Even if we have all the degrees and training in the world, without social capital, it is harder to find a job and increase our economic and social prospects. Most job leads come from connections to a person within the company. Networking and schmoozing are still the best ways to land a job. Once you land that job, the best way to work your way up the ladder is by continuing to network within the organization and use the resources available to you. On page 54, Nan Lin writes “social structure and individual actors reinforce each other: the structure rewards individual actors who support and recognize its valued resources, and individual actors strive to recognize and promote structural resources in order to gain status or better positions in the structure.”

As people’s networks grow smaller, the lack of social capital has hit us hard in several areas. The first is through the education of our children and their welfare. A community’s infrastructure, such as schools, political leaders and health organizations, is important to our children’s development. The less connected a school is with its community and parents, the worse off the children will be. When parents are engaged with their kid’s school and teachers, social capital rises and everyone benefits. In states where social capital is low, children are less likely to care about their education and peers (Putnam, page 302).

Our economic status and community wealth are also affected when social capital is low. “Economic standing and social standing are complementary in that the former requires social legitimation and enforcement for wealth. Without social enforcement, economic standing collapses, without collective wealth, social standing is meaningless” (Lin, page 150). When a community lacks both wealth and reputation, the community becomes fragmented and disconnected (Lin, page 163). I believe that wealth can be measured by things other than just monetary value, but without any social connections or relationships, even the richest person is poor.

Neighborhoods are also affected negatively by low levels of social capital. The more people who know each other and have relationships with their neighbors, the safer the streets are for everyone. Neighborhoods that are clean, have friendly residents and more community involvement, have lower levels of crime. But on the other hand, neighborhoods that lack positive role models, community groups and neighborhood watch organizations are more likely to have kids (and adults) getting into trouble. The inner city has been impacted the most by the absence of economic capital and therefore, their social connections are the most important aspect to their welfare. The people they know, have relationships with and trust are the people they can turn to for aid and support.

Health and happiness can be attributed to positive social capital. “Socially isolated people are more likely to smoke, drink, overeat, (etc.)” (Putnam, page 327). But being around people and engaging in social activities are factors in fighting disease and stress. With people nearby to lean on or trust, it is easier to get through the drudges we face in life. In fact, the more socially engaged we are, the more likely we are to live longer (Putnam, page 331).

This sense of isolation and division is not an unfamiliar one. At the end of the nineteenth century, Americans were divided by class, ethnicity and race, just like we are today. With the influx of new immigrants, people did not know or understand their neighbors. They realized that they were a country of strangers. But at the turn of the century, Americans began to feel that “society needed to be democratized to ensure everyone had a decent chance for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Putnam, page 378). And so, society changed. Communities were shaped, order was formed and numerous community and national social organizations grew. Organizations such as the Salvation Army, Shriners, Rotary and Boy Scouts were formed during these days and people signed up by the millions.

This is the sort of attitude that is once again needed today. Putnam lists several items on an agenda needed for social reformation (Putnam, page 403). New structures and policies must be created to facilitate renewed civic engagements. Individuals need to resolve to themselves to connect with those around them. The older generation must try to entice civic engagement among the younger generation. People must once again feel connected to their political leaders and learn that they have the power to bring about change. All of these items are important in rebuilding a connected society- one that people of all ages, races and backgrounds can engage in and enjoy.

I grew up in Sellersville, PA, a town founded in the 1700s, with a population of 5,000. Although there are many community activities “downtown,” my family considered our main community to be at church. Wednesdays and Sundays were spent there and most friendships were forged during youth groups and volunteer trips. I don’t really have a connection with my hometown since I did not attend the local schools. These days, my extended family is part of a completely different community. In Northeast Philadelphia, the Russian community is very prominent, with restaurants, businesses and families living along Bustleton Ave. Although this community is fairly connected, the youth still struggle to find ways to be involved and meet. The churches have not supplied the youth with organized events or meeting times and there is a void that needs to be filled in the spiritual lives of these Russian-American teens.

Several of my extended family members are forming a Russian youth group and have rented a small space in Northeast Philly where the kids can get together for activities and worship. It is my hope to be able to be a part of organizing and developing this organization so that it can grow to include other members of the community and from all around Philadelphia. I would also like to see this organization connect with other like-minded Russian and youth organizations around the country, to form a collection of groups that can rely on each other for questions and support.

Instead of remaining nostalgic about the ‘good old days,’ we need to relearn how to connect with our neighbors, coworkers, town and city leaders and even our own families. The growth of communities depends on the people who not only just live there, but care there. Without these connections, we are just a bunch of strangers living on a plot of land who from time to time crash into each other just to feel the touch of another human being.