Society

Bowling Alone: 8 key ideas

by Robert Putnam

The core ideas of Bowling Alone, each in under a minute, written in our own words. Want the full depth? Get the book.

1. IDEA 1 OF 8

   Americans have drifted apart

   Putnam argues that since the 1960s, Americans have become steadily less connected to their communities.

   They join fewer clubs, attend fewer meetings and spend less time with friends and neighbours.

2. IDEA 2 OF 8

   Social ties are a capital

   Putnam uses the term social capital for the networks, trust and habits of cooperation that connect people.

   He argues that, like money or skills, these connections make communities work better.

3. IDEA 3 OF 8

   Bowling became a symbol

   Putnam notes that more Americans were bowling than before, but fewer were bowling in leagues.

   This image captures his argument that people increasingly do things alone rather than together. Putnam uses the picture to make a wider point.

4. IDEA 4 OF 8

   Ties can bond or bridge

   Putnam distinguishes bonding social capital, which links similar people, from bridging social capital, which connects different groups.

   He argues that both matter, but bridging ties are especially valuable for society.

5. IDEA 5 OF 8

   Television took up free time

   Putnam argues that television is one major cause of the decline, because it keeps people at home and absorbs their leisure time.

   Heavy viewers, he found, took part less in community life.

6. IDEA 6 OF 8

   Generations changed

   Putnam finds that much of the decline comes from generational change.

   The civic-minded generation shaped by the Second World War was gradually replaced by less engaged generations. In his view, replacing one group of people with another changed community life.

7. IDEA 7 OF 8

   Connection affects health and democracy

   Putnam argues that communities rich in social capital have better schools, safer streets, healthier people and stronger democracy.

   Isolation, in his view, carries real costs. He treats trust and ties among neighbours as a form of shared wealth.

8. IDEA 8 OF 8

   Renewal is possible

   Putnam suggests that Americans can rebuild social capital, as they did during the Progressive Era.

   He calls for new forms of community involvement suited to modern life. He sees history as showing that communities can be rebuilt with effort.