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**Social capital **
There is a crisis of connection due to factors like the pandemic, social unrest, and a rise in social disconnection over the past 40-50 years. The decline of social capital, defined as connections among individuals, social networks, reciprocity, and trustworthiness, has been documented by social scientist Robert Putnam. Examples include the decline in socializing and entertaining friends. Loneliness has doubled since the 1980s, with research showing decreased sense of closeness and confidants. This social disconnection also impacts workplaces, leading to negative effects on productivity and engagement, costing US companies $154 billion per year.