Does it matter that we are bowling alone?

I found this article by Mark Chaves called "Are we bowling alone? And does it matter?" Of course it matters- we know it even before reading it. This article summaries the idea that Putnam suggests both in his original essay and his book in response to the response he received. I found it interesting because Chaves mentions the difference between "change" and "decline". Maybe the phenomenon we are having right now is just a change in society and maybe it is not necessarily bad. Technology like internet and TV maybe hinders the face to face interaction between people, but it also connects people from all over the world. It is impossible to have face to face relationship with someone who is thousands and thousands miles away, but at least with the internet we can get some form of communication and bonding. I found out that someone from Australia was reading my blog. You can never do that without technology. Also, Chaves said that Bowling Alone is an optimistic book despite Putnam's worries about the collapse of social capitals in the United States. It alarms us about the social trend right us, but it also "shows that our current situation is not without parallel". I think that the associations we have right now are either the ones that developed from the old association or newly formed followed the old ones. So even though the numbers and participation are declining, it is good that they exist still.

On another note, I read Enich's post about movies and I just realized how true it is that we spend way too much time together just to watch a movie. I mean I enjoy watching movies a lot, but at the same time I know that watching movies seems to be the easiest way to hang out with people without trying to figure out other things to do or engaging conversations. It is good that we don't have cable in our dorm otherwise we will probably be watching worthless TV together all the time.