Kickball

I'm reading a book called Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, by sociologist Robert Putnam. The gist of his book is that the social fabric of community in the U.S. has waxed and waned over our history, and that we're at a time where it's time to build up once again the social capital that makes for abundant living. Below is a excerpt from a review:

Putnam draws on evidence including nearly 500,000 interviews over the last quarter century to show that we sign fewer petitions, belong to fewer organizations that meet, know our neighbors less, meet with friends less frequently, and even socialize with our families less often. We're even bowling alone. More Americans are bowling than ever before, but they are not bowling in leagues.

My friend Colin and I talk often about the presence and deterioration of the "Third Spaces" in the US. The First Space is the home, the Second is the workplace, and the Third is that place where people bond in a social space out in the community. Churches, Elks Clubs, VFW Halls, Bowling and Pool Leagues are all examples of these Third Spaces. For instance, Colin plays in a pool league and plays hostess to numerous gatherings at her house; I play in a softball league and attend a weekly interfaith worship service.

Putnam says that many of these Third Spaces are dying, if they're not already dead. When these spaces die, depression goes up, crime goes up, addictive behaviors go up, and also home values go down, participation in democracy goes down, trust goes down. Putnam suggests that the nature or purpose of the group doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that people are together, getting to know each other, connecting, dispelling stereotypes, and merely communing together.

Well, I am buoyed by the knowledge that kickball leagues in the US have exploded over the past decade! Grown adults get together for no other reason than to be together, have fun, compete, (drink beer, probably), kick a neon rubber ball around, and try not to get hit in the head! So community might be on the ropes, but we're not down for the count! And kickball is one of them! Check out some kickball resources in Atlanta!