Present-day America has run into a paradox: Despite unparalleled opportunities for connection, people are, in important ways, as divided as they've ever been.
In fact, individuals and communities have arguably become more isolated and atomized, as increasingly liberating ourselves from social bonds in nearly every aspect of life—familial, neighborly, communal, religious, and even national—has meant that, more and more, we're losing out on the sense of connection that gives many of us a feeling of belonging and meaning. This loss of community has serious implications. More specifically, the erosion of social capital—a natural byproduct of communities—has weakened some of America's oldest civic organizations, like the church, political parties, and community groups of all types.
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