Robert Putnam

If we're going to be able to survive in this town or the schools, you know, you can have a national debate about, I don't know, some issue in education, but somebody's got to fix our schools right here. And so sometimes left-wingers are in favor of national solutions.

And for race, we did have to go national because there were whole regions of the country which were, if we went local, we would have stayed segregated forever. So I'm not saying always go local, but if you want to have a major revolution, and this is exactly what MLK did, right? He didn't start with his march on Washington. He started in Montgomery.

And for race, we did have to go national because there were whole regions of the country which were, if we went local, we would have stayed segregated forever. So I'm not saying always go local, but if you want to have a major revolution, and this is exactly what MLK did, right? He didn't start with his march on Washington. He started in Montgomery.

What do you think is the most important social reform in the history of America? I'm going to tell you in just a second. The high school. When was the high school invented? The high school was invented in 1910. God did not invent the high school. It was invented in 1910. And where was the high school? By high school, I mean a secondary school, a public high school that everybody could go to.

What do you think is the most important social reform in the history of America? I'm going to tell you in just a second. The high school. When was the high school invented? The high school was invented in 1910. God did not invent the high school. It was invented in 1910. And where was the high school? By high school, I mean a secondary school, a public high school that everybody could go to.

We'd had private schools, of course, like Eaton or whatever. But I'm talking about public high schools. First place in the world. was in 1910 in flyover country in America. It was not invented in Massachusetts or in Chicago or in LA or what it was invented in small towns in the middle of America. And it went, viral.

We'd had private schools, of course, like Eaton or whatever. But I'm talking about public high schools. First place in the world. was in 1910 in flyover country in America. It was not invented in Massachusetts or in Chicago or in LA or what it was invented in small towns in the middle of America. And it went, viral.

And within 20 years, every city in America, every city and town in America had a high public high school. That's viral. 20 years it went from- That's amazing. So what I'm trying to say is the really good ideas, policy ideas, the next time- They spread. And thirdly, and I want to come back now to this issue of religion, go morality. Stick with me.

And within 20 years, every city in America, every city and town in America had a high public high school. That's viral. 20 years it went from- That's amazing. So what I'm trying to say is the really good ideas, policy ideas, the next time- They spread. And thirdly, and I want to come back now to this issue of religion, go morality. Stick with me.

I'm an academic, but I'm about to start preaching at you, both of I apologize for that. When we look at long run changes, long run changes in political polarization, in economic inequality, in connections and so on, the leading indicator, it turns out that people in any given period and place actually think they have obligations to other people. We need to have a moral reawakening in America.

I'm an academic, but I'm about to start preaching at you, both of I apologize for that. When we look at long run changes, long run changes in political polarization, in economic inequality, in connections and so on, the leading indicator, it turns out that people in any given period and place actually think they have obligations to other people. We need to have a moral reawakening in America.

I'm talking about simple golden rule. Read the Sermon on the Mount. I mean, any religion says worry at least as much about other people as you do about yourself. Religion should be a we phenomenon, not an I phenomenon. So if I had a magic wand... I don't, but maybe somebody listening will have a magic wand.

I'm talking about simple golden rule. Read the Sermon on the Mount. I mean, any religion says worry at least as much about other people as you do about yourself. Religion should be a we phenomenon, not an I phenomenon. So if I had a magic wand... I don't, but maybe somebody listening will have a magic wand.

I try to make the magic wand make young people, remember young, in localities across America think that they have obligations to other people. Is that making sense? I mean, that sounds like, and my basic message is, if we want to fix America, and I desperately want to fix America, it's probably not going to come in my lifetime, but I want to have it come at least in my grandchildren's lifetime.

I try to make the magic wand make young people, remember young, in localities across America think that they have obligations to other people. Is that making sense? I mean, that sounds like, and my basic message is, if we want to fix America, and I desperately want to fix America, it's probably not going to come in my lifetime, but I want to have it come at least in my grandchildren's lifetime.

And we got to get about it now. And that requires mobilizing large numbers of people. large numbers of young people at the local level thinking about their obligations to other people and not just about themselves. Sorry, that's the message.

And we got to get about it now. And that requires mobilizing large numbers of people. large numbers of young people at the local level thinking about their obligations to other people and not just about themselves. Sorry, that's the message.

So you guys are going to, you're going to lead this revolution. Find me up. Let me know how I can join.

So you guys are going to, you're going to lead this revolution. Find me up. Let me know how I can join.