Cultural observer and futurist Faith Popcorn observed in the 90's that many Americans were beginning to live isolated lives. She called it, "cocooning". Christian historian and futurist Len Sweet was among the first in the faith community to talk about the implications and impact this trend would have on the church. Pastor and author Leith Anderson also challenged churches not to get swept up in the culture of isolation and to offer an alternative.
It's been 10 years since Popcorn's "cocooning" observation and a new study reveals American's isolationism has no intention of reversing itself. Duke University sociologist, Lynn Smith-Lovin has just released the results of a study of 1,467 adults entitled, "Social Isolation in America". According to Boston Globe columnist Ellen Goodman, the study revealed that 25% of Americans say they have no one to talk to about, "important matters". This wasn't even the most, "startling fact," of the study. Goodman writes, "The study is a replica of one done 20 years ago. In only two decades, from 1985-2004, the number of people who have no one to talk to has doubled."
Goodman notes the significance of the increase when she compares the lackadaisical response of the culture to what would happen if other cultural issues shifted as dramatically: "Imagine income had gone down by a third, or divorce doubled or the medical system halved. We would be setting up commissions and organizing rallies."
Thankfully, the study noted that the nuclear family seems to have survived the first wave of isolation and may have even grown closer as a result of failing secondary relationships like neighbors, work, church and other community relationships. "The greatest loss has been in neighbors and friends who will provide help, support, advice, and connections to a wider world," writes Goodman.
Oddly, Goodman believes the record rise in technology over the last 20 years may bear much of the blame. Cell phones, Blackberries, laptops and the Internet help us communicate with more people, but at a greater distance. They have stolen chunks of time that we used to invest in developing those secondary relationships that are so vital to community. How many of us know the names of the four closest neighbors geographically, let alone the life concerns with which they struggle? Goodman observes, "It's become easier to keep extensive relationships over time and distance but harder to build deeper ones in our back yard."
The tragedy of isolationism is the rising number of people who have no one to talk to. Think about the emotional, physical and mental challenges a "friendless" culture poses. Trust is built upon communication. And trust is essential for a healthy culture. If we're not talking, we're not trusting, and if we're not trusting, we soon live in a culture driven by cynicism, doubt, fear and suspicion. Essentially, we become a society without hope.
This is especially troubling if it plays out in the church and we lose sight of our universal call to reach out beyond the "safe and protective" walls of the physical church building. But the good news for the church is that we can offer hope the culture cannot produce. The challenge for Christ-followers is to build intentional relationships that tear down the walls of isolation with hope and love. The role of Christianity in a "friendless" society is part 2 of this blog to be posted soon.
7 comments:
"It's become easier to keep extensive relationships over time and distance but harder to build deeper ones in our back yard."
What if the issue were that 'it's become easier to keep extensive relationships in our back yard but harder to build deeper ones over time and distance'? Isn't this just a transition that will circle around over time? Is this an evolution of events/cirsumstances or a heavenly design?
Jim
Jim,
Excellent observation, but I’m not sure I believe this one is going to circle around. Life is more complex and complicated now than in the days of the neighbor over the fence or front porch discussions. We don’t seem to be showing any signs of reversing or circling back at all. Still, the biblical call, teaching and demand for community seems to be largely ignored in many sectors, both at home and in relationships far away. That is something we as Christ followers are called to seek, preserve and maintain. Perhaps this is more an indication that we (Christ followers—painting with a broad brush here) have bought into the worldview of self that seems to be driving us away from the very relationships in which we are called to be salt and light. Only God knows for sure, but His design, Word and earthly example are always about community and for Jesus, it began with those in His own back yard of Galilee before spreading wider.
mc
Monty, Great blog. I really appreciate your thoughts. It is so important that we have the ability to step back from our own culture and critique our existence in light of the Kingdom culture which Jesus taught.
Many times I've sat in an airport watching all of the people on their cell phones. I sense the thick disconnectedness while everyone seems to be connected to someone...somewhere. I wonder who they are talking to. Is it a business matter, where the de-personalized voice on the phone is merely a means to a more profitable end. Or is it a family member--giving the weary traveler a sense of personal connectedness amidst their busy, detached day.
I think it's critical that we who believe in Jesus give serious consideration to our own lifestyles for a couple of reasons:
1) The mission of God to which we are called is always pushing outward--crossing barriers into new relationships and communities where the Good News of Jesus has not yet been received. For the people of God to join the mission of God we must resist the centripetal force of isolation and embrace the centrifugal force of Christ's love. Getting with God's program requires departing from the standard practices of the culture.
2) The Good News of Jesus must be incarnated--always. Jesus is our model here. The Good News wasn't shouted from heaven, but it took on skin and sweat and spit along a small, dusty strip of ground between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River. Would God have done it differently if the internet was available during those days of Roman rule? Might He gained some efficiency there? I don't think so. And those today who are outside of any real knowledge of this "Son of Man" will not ultimately be brought to him by our websites (useful as they are). Jesus must be seen "locally", and we as his modern-day hands and feet have to step out of our own isolation and become encumbered with the lives of those around us.
The next time we pull into our attached garages (like Batman returning to the Bat Cave), maybe we need to step outside before the garage door closes and take a walk around the block.
Scott,
Great insight. Love the call for incarnational living. Amazing, God could've chosen to reveal Himself in any number of ways, but He chose to do it through people. If we're disconnected we sure aren't going to make much of an impact for Him in the culture. Your last line about the Bat Cave hits all of us close to home. It's time for us to take a personal spiritual inventory in this regard and join the disciples from Acts 5, who--"Day after day in the Temple courts and from house to house they never ceased preaching Jesus Christ." Now there's a connected model for all of us. Kind of hard to do that from a secluded, fenced in yard in gated communities with caller ID and alarm systems. mc
"Getting with God's program requires departing from the standard practices of the culture."
Hmmmm. Isn't this culture thing a moving target? We moved from the 40's culture (The Great Generation in Tom Brokaw's words) to the 50's, the 60's (my generation), etc.,etc. Is the cell phone any more impacting than the black and white TV of the 50s?. For two 21st century guys, is sounds like you want to retreat, not immerse yourselves(?).
I've never advocated a retreat from the culture. If anything, my blog is beckoning us to get out of our little "safe zones" and dive in. I think I've been misunderstood. Thankfully there's a part 2 coming.
I think living the values of the Kingdom of God will put us out of step with any culture of any decade. Perhaps one of our greatest challenges and responsibilities as the people of God is to discern what those particular points of departure should be.
My own view is not that we should resist technological advancement, nor its beneficial use in our lives. But with such rapid techno-change swirling about us we must have our eyes wide open to what it does to our health, families, and relationships. This last one--our relationships--I believe is the issue Monty is raising in his blog.
The "retreating" I suspect is from the unrestrained patterns of living (including the use of technology) that leaves us numb to the people around us. The immersing, I think, has to do with engagement with the people God puts in our lives--many of whom may be immersed up to their neck in the many dysfunctions of our present culture.
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