Bowling Alone

Why it’s on the list: Robert Putnam’s study of the collapse of American social capital — the decline of clubs, leagues, congregations and civic groups — and what a revival of community would take.

Where I heard about it

• The Righteous Mind — cited in Haidt’s book on declining social capital.
• @ChivalryGuild — recommended on X, October 2025, arguing that the collapse of social capital shows up as a character problem: “Simply having friends is probably the best courage hack. You are en-couraged simply by having guys who have your back.”

Connections

• The Righteous Mind — where this book is cited.
• People Over Politics — the declining-social-capital thesis, and the frame @ChivalryGuild put on it.