Bowling Alone? Think Again

Catalysts for social change often come from the unlikeliest of places.  This adage is once again proven by “Still Bowling Alone?  The Post 9/11 Split” by Robert Sander.  With the attack upon the World Trade Center, there was a new motivation for social engagement by what he calls the “9-11 Generation.” Within this generation (as in those under twenty or so) there has been an upsurge in social engagement which was simply not seen within the previous generation. 

                This is not to say that the terrorist attack upon The World Trade Centers itself encouraged social engagement per se, but rather, that people who saw this in their formative years (i.e. in elementary school, middle school, high school or college) had their perceptions of civic duty shaped by it.  It was not the end, but rather the means of encouraging interaction within the civic realm.  It again demonstrates a trend; when times of patriotic feeling are high- that is to say, times when there is an threat that permeates the existence of the U.S. (The Great Depression, World War I or II) - there is a greater emphasis to fight for American values and the “American Way of Life.”

                At the time of Putnam’s article, there was no great threat that loomed over American life. It was a generation which was raised by the common perception that the U.S. was doing okay, and that civic engagement simply was not important.  However, with the attack,  the standards of the U.S. have once again become in flux, and the fear of the threat has united many people to better engage the world. 

                This article really emphasized the new forms of communication that go along with new standards of engagement.  With a rise in using Facebook or Twitter, engagements take different forms which are influenced by a new age of globalization.