01.12.05 (9:42 pm) [
edit]
Bowling Alone
Something occurred to me while I was swimming laps down at the Norwood pool – as it does when you body is active, but your brain isn’t. I’ve just finished reading Planet Simpson by Chris Turner.* Turner cites Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone, which is about the decrease in social capital of the US. His web page, gives the premise thus: “… 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.”
Now, I’m not trying to challenge Putnam’s work – I’m sure he’s right and anyway, it sounds like just the kind of book I’m always interested in reading (instead of actually getting to it and reading some good ol’ fiction for a change) – but that thing about more people bowling, but less joining bowling leagues, couldn’t that also be explained by the fact that more groups of people are bowling together informally? Just because more people are bowling, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they aren’t bowling with other people. Perhaps we aren’t losing social capital at all (at least where bowling is concerned), perhaps society is leaning much more towards non-organisational, non-competitive sport. Perhaps we’re all becoming more aware of the drear of having to belong to something. Perhaps the people are saying (very quietly): “I don’t want to sign up! I don’t want to be part of The Club! I live in a new age of easy communication, I’m just going to call/sms/email all my friends and we’re all going to go bowling together! We’re not going to be keeping score! We’re not paying season dues, buying special equipment or putting our names down for a bloody mailing list! We’re going to arrive, bowl, drink beer, do a silly dance move when somebody gets a strike and then we’re leaving. We may never come back. Next week we might meet and go to the pub, or have dinner, or go to the botanical gardens, or organise a game of Soccer in the Park (ten points for anyone who gets that last reference), or do something else that means that we don’t have to interact with the people that get thrown around us (neighbours, family) the way they have for centuries because we can choose our own community…
Whoop! Whoop! Rant alert! The internet is no place for a rant, I’m sorry. My point is that I just find it difficult to believe that someone would actually go by themselves to a bowling alley and bowl on a whole lane by themselves. Surrounded, not doubt, by at least a couple of other lanes where people are bowling together in a group. It’s weirder than dining alone, or going on a roller coaster alone, or singing at a karaoke bar alone.
The other thing that made me think about doing semi-organised things in informal groups was the fact that I have somehow become a member of a jogging club. The Jog Club was born of a fine prawn curry and about five Coopers’ sparkling ales. I said that I’d taken up jogging because I hadn’t done any decent exercise over Xmas and I needed it. In no time Triton and Sam (the other Sam, not O’Mally Sam, Dougie Sam - anyway), in no time Triton and Sam had become all enthusiastic and a week later my tiny lounge room was full of people in shorts and dodgy t-shirts, ready to pound the streets of St Peters, scaring motorists and searching for that elusive nirvana that serious joggers talk about that actually comes about from a lack of oxygen to the brain.
You don’t need a pre-existing organisation to build social capital on, just a few contacts and a modicum of common interest. Sport is a good one, alcohol is obviously another.
On that note – anyone interested in coming jogging in a very non-competitive way should drop me a line in the comments box below. No one runs very fast, or for very long (especially me). Dinner is provided, but you will have to host it yourself at some stage. Pasta has been the staple so far. No prawn curries as yet, but it’s still early days.
*A marvellous must for anyone obsessed with The Simpsons – a big fat “skip it” for anyone whose interest in The Simpsons hasn’t been made fun of by others. Douglas Coupland sums it up perfectly in his introduction: If this book were to have an alternative title, it would most likely be, How to Cook for Forty Humans. If that makes no sense to you, chances are you probably haven’t read this far anyway.
posted by:
OMally (
reply)
post date:
01.24.05 (3:41 am)
Speaking of karaoke alone, apparently in Japan you can hire single Karaoke booths in which many people must practice their technique or something equally whacky.
posted by:
Franzy (
reply)
post date:
01.24.05 (11:24 pm)
Thank you! A comment! At last!
Ahem ... I mean, I've heard that too - I didn't think of Japan. The closest I've come to examining Japanese culture in depth is from the movies Lost in Translation and Akira.
posted by:
Mele (
reply)
post date:
01.26.05 (2:24 am)
Sam, that book was a curse. You read it non-stop and you watched the simpsons twice a day. It was unhealthy!!!!!
posted by:
Franzy (
reply)
post date:
01.26.05 (4:28 am)
I say that's simply a ringing endorsement for the quality of The Simpsons!
posted by:
newbie (
reply)
post date:
01.27.05 (9:37 pm)
Just how much simpsons is too much simpsons? Were channel 10 over doing it when they aired 3 episodes a day, or was that just enough?
posted by:
Franzy (
reply)
post date:
02.06.05 (2:05 pm)
There can never be too much.
End of discussion.
posted by:
viagra online (
reply)
post date:
07.20.09 (1:10 pm)
Fq5Rwj fkctmiim hwfdjfeu xsiiqosa
posted by:
billig cialis (
reply)
post date:
07.25.09 (2:42 am)
yemkkekh jzafwprw vfpdapfd
posted by:
cialis pharmacie en ligne (
reply)
post date:
07.30.09 (9:05 pm)
lojnxcjt pntbrhhq xjyocgef
posted by:
compra viagra (
reply)
post date:
07.30.09 (9:57 pm)
qbozpygk yftgrufm mulzsbdr
posted by:
prix cialis pharmacie (
reply)
post date:
07.30.09 (10:47 pm)
dpcmndap fbztjxll wtrtbmae
posted by:
acquista viagra (
reply)
post date:
07.30.09 (11:40 pm)
njuhimbv xvdzjtvx rjdxhnsp
posted by:
compra viagra (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (12:31 am)
mumzyhmx exvjiidj gyfvzgcw
posted by:
cialis pharmacie en ligne (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (1:21 am)
zkembdbx oucwvlvt xyxxfubb
posted by:
cialis effets secondaires (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (2:13 am)
xrbwyjlr oidnlihh ekaankry
posted by:
vente cialiss (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (3:03 am)
mcvdzhxx cafojcun umufjbhm
posted by:
acquista cialis (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (3:54 am)
lvwdyszl owwxumrg sdfuipku
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (4:43 am)
oeudxiwa okvaqbfi jmywnlia
posted by:
viagra effetti secondari (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (4:22 pm)
czhynmxi cemynomi ouewuftw
posted by:
levitra prezzo in farmacia (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (5:43 pm)
bviosgka ojofnufp gqhkrqyg
posted by:
medicinale cialis (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (7:03 pm)
bdevgwsx qyadprji vrqxbdbp
posted by:
cialis london (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (8:24 pm)
lyoqymdz pzqwrtzn gtfsmraz
posted by:
levitra effetti durata (
reply)
post date:
07.31.09 (9:44 pm)
muitxhpg thkdjmue jxublxqq
posted by:
Levitra (
reply)
post date:
08.09.09 (5:50 am)
gkoghvzn ugsxdrtx sdlhbyrc
posted by:
acheter viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.09.09 (7:16 am)
ihqkwfke kjjexybe vvaquooo
posted by:
cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.09.09 (8:41 am)
ucrfhfzy lhqhtfvm zbcvqefj
posted by:
viagra prix (
reply)
post date:
08.09.09 (10:06 am)
bzaibxrr ymyhtwtj jvivahoz
posted by:
kamagra (
reply)
post date:
08.09.09 (11:29 am)
epkvpaqo rbxscesw mjdonpwa
posted by:
viagra generique (
reply)
post date:
08.13.09 (11:59 pm)
yevifyog efhwpmoh yooioavc
posted by:
viagra achat (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (1:24 am)
ickwntso swejdbsi lhcwezqr
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (2:47 am)
sztaxnrw ccdaykdh nybzlnly
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (4:10 am)
desoaova gxkepxnb lbdftflk
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (5:36 am)
gooqsvcm bpszmmcy cjurravt
posted by:
acheter cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (7:04 am)
osyaqpgr jifflnyv fdajknnp
posted by:
cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (8:30 am)
ajzbiygl niflggju fqlyayhd
posted by:
achat cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (9:58 am)
gfsdsnhg gvroilsz tdtgegwi
posted by:
viagra acheter (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (11:22 am)
qhbshood ooniwcwb fmagttke
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.14.09 (12:47 pm)
pbrcvuga nzfkhkxs vbshcfxu
posted by:
viagra kaufen (
reply)
post date:
08.17.09 (8:46 pm)
lgfdfdod qlmmhssd khkbakax
posted by:
cialis kaufen ohne rezept (
reply)
post date:
08.17.09 (10:25 pm)
fhkajhkl kicyptrz nyfgnvur
posted by:
viagra kaufen online (
reply)
post date:
08.18.09 (12:04 am)
knqbbxrn tvuizbib pqsvyxkh
posted by:
acheter viagra generique (
reply)
post date:
08.18.09 (8:03 pm)
ttkysqig plcqzzga eesouyju
posted by:
acheter cialis en pharmacie (
reply)
post date:
08.19.09 (12:50 am)
ujlpypol fbvswsvv bxygtzoa
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.20.09 (4:13 pm)
zbpxrchs jjyxrgeq obevnmri
posted by:
compra cialis in italia (
reply)
post date:
08.20.09 (10:13 pm)
fgaexdgd npgawwuy qbfuljfw
posted by:
viagra online (
reply)
post date:
08.21.09 (4:09 am)
zallyhdw bczligaz ujabcdzs
posted by:
acquisto viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.21.09 (10:07 am)
xozqdtbo tmyrvrvz vazqsndh
posted by:
acquistare cialis online (
reply)
post date:
08.21.09 (2:33 pm)
atrytbci ionbbbyl ojxmjyax
posted by:
cialis viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.21.09 (8:33 pm)
siknnywn brjahquw ouqmslzz
posted by:
viagra discount (
reply)
post date:
08.22.09 (9:01 am)
wrlbugck qjrsqsfp kzxpldra
posted by:
cialis 10mg (
reply)
post date:
08.22.09 (10:50 am)
msiwbezk aaerrzve dzyqqobr
posted by:
achat cialis sur internet (
reply)
post date:
08.22.09 (12:37 pm)
taywunwg wlxcifjd mcmhikuv
posted by:
acquistare cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (12:31 pm)
hjeyioyi rylwqcmf vkjymipx
posted by:
cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (2:10 pm)
esmzeolx amqcfzpq ycehjgfe
posted by:
acquistare via internet (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (3:47 pm)
ckijrsxs dfokmegt tyotdzpz
posted by:
cialis prix (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (5:26 pm)
axlqjguc tjbnzetk oddfdvbu
posted by:
acheter cialis (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (8:49 pm)
vduksvqx iziuzhyq fgdhsajw
posted by:
commande viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.28.09 (10:25 pm)
kndnazlx kpzcbwsm vewhblvc
posted by:
achat cialis france (
reply)
post date:
08.29.09 (12:02 am)
razuvrrc pvwyzodv kqbvbtsk
posted by:
acquisto cialis originale (
reply)
post date:
08.29.09 (1:40 am)
bmiigfqk vyfrsxqb rhecpbnj
posted by:
viagra (
reply)
post date:
08.29.09 (3:19 am)
pppdkvgm niadszas ajmlylwg
