Make America Happy Again
This episode explores the decline of social capital and community, featuring political scientist Robert Putnam, economist Lord Richard Layard, and Senator Chris Murphy. They discuss historical patterns and propose individual actions and policy changes to rebuild social connection and well-being.
Deep Dive Analysis
10 Topic Outline
The Decline of Social Capital and the 'I' Society
Robert Putnam's Research: The Inverted U-Curve of Social Capital
America's Gilded Age: A Historical 'I' Society
The Upswing: How America Rebuilt Social Capital After 1900
Happiness Economics: Jeremy Bentham's Philosophy and GDP vs. Well-being
Government's Role in Fostering Social Capital
US Senator Chris Murphy and the National Strategy for Social Connection Act
Consequences of Social Isolation: Health, Crime, and Political Extremism
Government's Role in Promoting Connection: Best Practices and Public Spaces
Hope for a New Upswing: Active Virtue in Addressing Societal Challenges
6 Key Concepts
Social Capital
Social capital is defined as the glue that holds a happy society together, comprising the bonds of trust and friendship. These bonds are formed through participation in clubs, leagues, unions, and other 'third places,' benefiting individuals' happiness and improving the overall functioning of society.
Third Places
Third places are locations other than home or work where people can mix, interact, and form friendships. Examples include clubs, associations, neighborhood hangouts, community pools, and parks, which are crucial for building social capital and community trust.
I Society vs. We Society
This concept describes a societal focus on individual pursuits and self-interest ('I') versus a focus on collective well-being and community obligations ('we'). Historically, America has shifted between these two orientations, with periods of high social capital reflecting a 'we' society.
The Upswing
The Upswing refers to a historical period in America, beginning around 1910, where society transitioned from an 'I' society back to a 'we' society. This shift involved a cultural change where people focused on the collective good, leading to increased social capital, economic equality, and political civility after a previous slump.
Happiness Economics
Happiness economics is a field that advocates for judging society and government policies based on the happiness and well-being of its people, rather than solely on economic measures like GDP. It posits that public policy should aim to maximize the greatest happiness for the greatest number, considering the inner life and lived experience of individuals.
Active Virtue (Hope)
This concept distinguishes hope from passive optimism, defining hope as an active virtue. It means seeing a potential path for positive change and then actively working to move society in that desired direction, rather than merely wishing for a better outcome.
7 Questions Answered
Social capital refers to the bonds of trust and friendship that hold a happy society together, formed in places like clubs and unions. It is important because it not only makes individuals happier but also helps society work better by fostering community and trust.
Yes, America experienced a similar slump in social capital in the late 1800s, known as the Gilded Age, which was characterized by extreme inequality, political division, and social isolation.
Around 1910, America experienced a cultural shift called 'the upswing,' where people began to focus on the collective good ('we') rather than individual interests ('I'), leading to increased civic engagement, the formation of clubs and associations, and policy changes.
Historically, economists focused on quantifiable metrics like how much people could buy (GDP) because good ways to measure people's happiness had not yet been developed, leading to the assumption that increasing wealth was equivalent to well-being.
Loneliness and social isolation have significant health consequences, estimated to be the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and can contribute to conditions like depression, dementia, and heart disease.
Government can help rebuild social capital by investing in 'third places' like children's centers, youth centers, public pools, and parks, offering tax incentives, prioritizing town planning that encourages social connection, and disseminating best practices for fostering community in institutions like schools.
Yes, the loneliness epidemic affects people across the political spectrum, and issues like the health of small towns, local businesses, and community well-being resonate with both Republicans and Democrats, suggesting potential for bipartisan support.
26 Actionable Insights
1. Prioritize “We” Over “I”
Shift focus from individual “me-time” and self-care to “we” activities, as Robert’s work shows this offers huge benefits for overall well-being.
2. Engage in Third Places
Spend time with people in teams, clubs, and other venues outside of homes and workplaces to boost happiness, trust in fellow citizens, and improve society.
3. Become a Community Joiner
Actively join clubs, go to third places, and meet neighbors to build community bonds and trust that make us all happier.
4. Cultivate Active Hope
Shift from passive optimism to active hope by seeing potential positive directions and actively working to make them happen.
5. Understand Mind Science
Learn about the science of the mind to guide yourself towards what truly makes you happy, as your mind can sometimes mislead you.
6. Decouple Money from Happiness
Understand that personal wealth is not a direct measure of happiness, as research shows no direct correlation between money and well-being.
7. Foster Connection for Children
Actively work to provide valuable social connection opportunities for children and teenagers, recognizing the challenges of modern life in doing so.
8. Advocate for Societal “We” Focus
Promote a cultural shift where society, including leaders, prioritizes “we” over “I” and invests in social capital through policies and funding.
9. Support Social Connection Policies
Support legislative efforts, like the National Strategy for Social Connection Act, that aim to reduce loneliness and boost social capital through government initiatives.
10. Invest in Third Places
Advocate for government investment in tax incentives for third places, and prioritize town planning that creates plazas and parks to foster natural social connection.
11. Fund Community Gathering Spaces
Support and advocate for government funding of public pools, parks, little leagues, and other community spaces that facilitate social interaction and shared interests.
12. Promote Free Time for Connection
Advocate for policies, such as a fair minimum wage, that ensure people have sufficient free time to join social clubs, classes, and connect with their community.
13. Disseminate Social Connection Norms
Encourage governments to disseminate best practices and set norms for social connection, particularly for institutions like school districts, to create opportunities for parents and students to connect.
14. Demand Government Well-being Focus
Advocate for governments to prioritize maximizing the well-being of their people, rather than solely focusing on economic metrics like GDP.
15. Challenge Sole Economic Growth
Question the sole focus on economic growth in policy-making, as it often fails to deliver the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people.
16. Apply Well-being Cost-Effectiveness
Implement public policies based on their cost-effectiveness in creating well-being, considering both initial spending and subsequent savings from improved societal health.
17. Highlight Well-being Investment Savings
Understand that investing in well-being initiatives, such as third places and community clubs, can lead to significant long-term savings for governments by reducing healthcare costs and crime.
18. Advocate Well-being Investment
Actively make the case for investing in initiatives critical for people’s well-being, highlighting their potential to save the state significant money.
19. Address Loneliness as Health
Recognize and address loneliness as a significant health risk, comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and advocate for solutions.
20. Connect Loneliness to Healthcare
Understand that loneliness and social isolation significantly drive healthcare costs, making investment in social connection a fiscally responsible policy.
21. Link Isolation to Violence
Recognize that social isolation contributes to increased violence, including road rage, air rage, and other aggressive outbursts in daily life.
22. Combat Extremism via Connection
Address political extremism by fostering social connection, as isolation can lead individuals to seek meaning in extreme political ideologies.
23. Study Historical Social Upswings
Recognize that past generations successfully rebuilt social capital by making cultural changes, demonstrating that current societal problems are not insurmountable.
24. Ask Strong Questions
Asking really strong questions is a superpower, implying it’s a valuable skill to cultivate for personal and professional growth.
25. Offer Radical Differentiation
To achieve incredible heights, show up with something radically different in your approach or offerings.
26. Embrace Greater Risks
The greatest rewards always come from the greatest risks, suggesting that taking significant risks can lead to substantial gains.
5 Key Quotes
If you graph many measures of not only social capital, but economic equality and political comedy getting along and so on, they all go down since the 1960s.
Robert Putnam
America in 1890 looked a lot like America right now. Well, extremely polarized, extremely unequal, extremely self-centered, and extremely socially isolated.
Robert Putnam
The greatest happiness, he wrote, of the greatest number. That is the measure of right and wrong.
Jeremy Bentham (quoted by Lord Richard Layard)
The loneliness epidemic really doesn't discriminate based upon your politics.
Senator Chris Murphy
Optimism, he said, is a passive virtue. Hope, he said, is an active virtue.
Robert Putnam (quoting a friend)