The Decline of Social Capital in America

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Vaccines are available at bewareofarsv.com. Chase for Business helps startups like Girls Who Do Interiors. Social capital has declined since the 1950s, affecting trust and happiness. Robert Putnam explores the importance of third places and how they benefit society. Focusing on the collective 'we' instead of individual happiness may require changes in cities and communities. Understanding the science of the mind can lead us in the right direction. Third places and social capital have declined significantly over the past 60 years.

We're distrustful, unequal and isolated. That's according to the figures showing a decline in happy community feeling since the 1960s. But can we do anything to regain the healthier communal lives enjoyed by many of our parents, grandparents or great-grandparents?

We talk to a hopeful trio - an economist, a political scientist and a US senator - about how we can reduce social isolation, temper political division and prioritize the kind of mixing and meeting that makes neighbors into friends.