Social Connectedness 4

Social Connectedness, Extremism and SAT's

By Ed Vasicek

America is a melting pot.  We encourage brainstorming and thinking the unthinkable, which is why we have often accomplished the "impossible."    But we are in danger: as Americans become less social, our creative juices may be directed toward extreme and destructive behaviors.

Greetings and welcome to this installment of our "Social Connectedness" series. Each article is designed to stand-alone, so if you are joining us midstream, welcome!

One of our national strengths has been our voluntary participation in countless organizations, causes, charities, churches/synagogues, clubs, or informal socializing.   Many associations were generated to help people enjoy one another; others had precise missions in mind.  Both types have taken statistical nose-dives.

Just a few years ago the Elks owned a facility larger than their current one (oh, for the Seville Restaurant!).  The decline of the Elks typifies the social direction of our society.  Most lodges and clubs have seen their membership drop in half or more since 1970. A few groups, like the Boy/Girl Scouts and VFW are doing well, but they are the exceptions.

Previously, I tendered statistics to lead us to a no-brainer conclusion: Americans are becoming less and less socially connected.  I scanned how this damages us individually: non-social people reduce their chances for happiness and good health. In my last column, I suggested that socially disconnected communities are hotbeds for crime.   Today I would like to highlight two seemingly unrelated areas in which social connection (or lack thereof) serves as the common denominator.

First of all, social connectedness helps people moderate their views.   Extremism is bred in isolation.    When I was in high school (early 1970's), I met a fellow student whose parents displayed a portrait of Adolph Hitler in their living room.   They were displaced Nazis, holding tenaciously to extreme right wing views.   They kept to themselves--they were socially isolated.  Had they ventured into society, their views would have been challenged; they would have been forced to re-examine them, at minimum.

When we scrutinize the perpetrators of school shootings (or even the Waco incident), we frequently find "off the beaten trail" beliefs (whether religious or secular) that are intensified through isolation.

Although those of us who retain conservative Christian views are often slandered as "non-thinking fundamentalist bigots who think the world is flat," and some even claim we are a great threat to society, such is far from the case. Most of us advocate being "IN the world" even though we may reject trendy norms.   Indeed, the growth of conservative Christian community has been one of the few bright spots in an increasingly anti-social culture.   The scary people are the ones who are alongside others but not truly part of society (i.e., the perpetrators of school shootings).   We must realize that putting kids together does not necessarily make them social.   It is easy to be isolated in the crowd.

Being motivated to develop "connecting" skills finds its source in an attitude, an attitude that is best caught from others (esp. parents).  Social engineering by the government can only do so much.

Secondly, besides moderating extremism, social engagement in a community cultivates higher SAT scores.   Robert Putnam, in his book, "Bowling Alone," informs us that statistical analysis shows that social capital (how connected people are, as measured in friendships, socializing, belong to organizations, etc.) works magic on SAT scores:

"...for some outcomes-particularly SAT scores-the impact of race, poverty, and adult education levels is only indirect.  These factors seem to influence the level of social capital in a state, and social capital-not poverty or demographic characteristics, per se-drives test scores...."

Putnman notifies us that smaller schools do better than larger schools (sorry, consolidation people!) because social capital is greater in smaller schools (they are more relational, higher percentages participate in clubs, etc.).   Also worth noting: informal involvement (e.g., having folks over to play cards) actually has more impact on SAT scores than formal involvement (e.g., club participation).    So deal me in.

Becoming socially involved is much more than an individual issue: it does affect our nation's destiny.