Arguing Against the Garage Door Politician: The Importance of Civic Involvement

Americans have spent the last three generations growing detached from their communities. The book “Bowling Alone” by Robert Putnam illustrates the aggressive decline of civic engagement in the United States. The premise is simple; in generations past, ending with the Greatest Generation who came of age during the Depression and World War II, Americans were engaged in everything from neighborhood clubs, civic groups — and even bowling leagues. The inventions of television and radio and suburban life with long commutes have eroded the public engagement of most Americans. Information and ideas are no longer discussed in meetings, but on the...