Robert Putnam

I'm sorry, I'm going to tell you more social science than you want to know. People do an interesting study. They drop letters on the street with money in them. Sealed, but with money in them and addressed. And then they ask, in any given town or a neighborhood, how many of those letters are actually put in the mailbox so the owner can get their money back?

There are cities in America where your odds of getting your money back, if you drop it in an envelope, drop it on the street, are zero. And there are places, this is hard to believe, there are places in America where if you drop an envelope with money in it, you're 80% likely to get the money back.

There are cities in America where your odds of getting your money back, if you drop it in an envelope, drop it on the street, are zero. And there are places, this is hard to believe, there are places in America where if you drop an envelope with money in it, you're 80% likely to get the money back.

There's been virtually no decline in bowling itself. But it used to be that people bowled in teams, in leagues. And there has been a complete collapse of team bowling, of league bowling. And when I told a friend of mine that, he said, oh, you mean we're bowling alone? And I thought, that's a good title for a book. If ever I write a book about this, it turns out to be a good title.

There's been virtually no decline in bowling itself. But it used to be that people bowled in teams, in leagues. And there has been a complete collapse of team bowling, of league bowling. And when I told a friend of mine that, he said, oh, you mean we're bowling alone? And I thought, that's a good title for a book. If ever I write a book about this, it turns out to be a good title.

But what is the difference? What is the experiential difference? Yes. Christiana, have you ever bowled alone?

But what is the difference? What is the experiential difference? Yes. Christiana, have you ever bowled alone?

So actually, I know where every bowling alley in London is because whenever I've gone over there, I'm selling... selling books, every journalist thought their clever idea would be to interview me in a bowling alley. So I can take you to every bowling alley in central London. In bowling, in bowling in a league, there are five people on a team and two teams are playing against each other.

So actually, I know where every bowling alley in London is because whenever I've gone over there, I'm selling... selling books, every journalist thought their clever idea would be to interview me in a bowling alley. So I can take you to every bowling alley in central London. In bowling, in bowling in a league, there are five people on a team and two teams are playing against each other.

And how well you do depends on how well the team does, not how well you individually do. And at any given time, two people are up at the lane throwing the ball down. But the other eight people are sitting in a semicircle at the back of the alleys.

And how well you do depends on how well the team does, not how well you individually do. And at any given time, two people are up at the lane throwing the ball down. But the other eight people are sitting in a semicircle at the back of the alleys.

And they're mostly talking, you know, and they're talking about what was on TV last night or they're talking about occasionally they're talking about, you know, the local schools or, you know, whether there should a bond issue should be passed to cover the costs of the new sewer system or whatever. Right. And now I'm going to suddenly change that description.

And they're mostly talking, you know, and they're talking about what was on TV last night or they're talking about occasionally they're talking about, you know, the local schools or, you know, whether there should a bond issue should be passed to cover the costs of the new sewer system or whatever. Right. And now I'm going to suddenly change that description.

Occasionally, they're having a conversation about public civic life. That's highfalutin for saying they just got into a discussion with people they know well. Remember, these are people they see every week. And they know how to interpret what the people say. They're not total strangers. because they ball in a league and with other members of the team, but they're also real human beings.

Occasionally, they're having a conversation about public civic life. That's highfalutin for saying they just got into a discussion with people they know well. Remember, these are people they see every week. And they know how to interpret what the people say. They're not total strangers. because they ball in a league and with other members of the team, but they're also real human beings.

And so the reason I decided to use that as a metaphor is that does say, here are people who know each other. If you're in a team, they know each other. And they're not doing politics, but occasionally it helps with the politics. Does that make sense? I mean, occasionally they're able to have a conversation that's a kind of a responsible conversation.

And so the reason I decided to use that as a metaphor is that does say, here are people who know each other. If you're in a team, they know each other. And they're not doing politics, but occasionally it helps with the politics. Does that make sense? I mean, occasionally they're able to have a conversation that's a kind of a responsible conversation.

It's not just two guys yelling at each other or two gals yelling at each other. It's two people who are going to have to get along because the next week they're going to be back in the same bowling alley. And so it seemed to me a useful way of describing how bowling in a league, in a team... it's not just fun. I mean, it's important to emphasize this. I really wish I'd done emphasize this more.

It's not just two guys yelling at each other or two gals yelling at each other. It's two people who are going to have to get along because the next week they're going to be back in the same bowling alley. And so it seemed to me a useful way of describing how bowling in a league, in a team... it's not just fun. I mean, it's important to emphasize this. I really wish I'd done emphasize this more.

Social capital can't just be eat your spinach. It's got to be fun too. I mean, it's, it's, it's so, and that's why I use the example of bowling leagues. It's not saying, Oh, go to a good government meeting. Well, good mother, good government meeting. It's got to be fun. And bowling is fun, but it's also a little bit like a good government meeting.