The NPR Politics Podcast

Politics And America's Loneliness Epidemic

Mar 15, 2022

Robert Putnam, a political scientist renowned for his work on social capital, joins Danielle Kurtzleben to discuss America's loneliness crisis. They explore the alarming rise in isolation, especially exacerbated by social media's misinformation spiral. Putnam examines the impact of modern work on civic engagement and highlights the importance of grassroots movements in rebuilding community connections. Despite the grim statistics, he offers a glimmer of hope through rising interest in unionization and the potential for renewed social fabric.

13:47

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Episode guests

Robert Putnam

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Episode notes

Intro

3min

The Erosion of Social Connection

4min

The Cycle of Misinformation and Isolation in Social Media

2min

The Impact of Modern Work on Civic Engagement

3min

Revitalizing Social Capital through Grassroots Engagement

4min

Even before the pandemic, three in five Americans reported feeling like they are left out, poorly understood and lacking companionship.

Communities with low social connectedness have higher rates of crime, lower educational achievement, and poorer physical health than more connected communities. As Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone documented more than 20 years ago, a frayed social fabric also makes governing much harder.

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben talks to the author about how much worse things have gotten in the two decades since his book came out and what makes things him optimistic about the future.

Putnam's latest work is The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again.

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