Social Isolation And Social Capital

“As human beings, a feeling of belonging is vital to the well being and self esteem of the individual, but a lack of connection, or rejection can cause instability and other negative repercussions”

The Public Affairs Specialist position you are currently appointed to has been approved to be filled as a permanent position. If you would like to request non-competitive consideration for the position, please complete the attached, send it thru

Social connections, civic engagement and civic trust influence our life dramatically. In Robert D. Putnam's article, “Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital,” his begins with the argument that America's social capital is declining and the strength of American societies have weakened. To support his claim, he analyzes multiple reasons for the decline such as, the movement of women into the labor force, the mobility of individuals and the constant improvement of technology. According to Putnam, “social capital refers to features of social organization such as networks, norms and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit” (384). In simpler terms, social capital is a combination of civic engagement and civic trust. If a society has an abundance of social capital it will produce positive results and successful outcomes. Such results include “better schools, faster economic development, lower crime, and more effective government” (383). These results can significantly improve America’s social capital.

Upon its publication in 1884, Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was met with mixed reviews. Some reviewers called it flat, trashy, and irreverent. Others called it Twain's best work yet, hailing his humor and style throughout the novel. Though obscure at first, reviews began to appear in many newspapers throughout the country as more and more became interested in the novel as a result of these reviews.

The loss of status in society, an inability to provide for one’s family, and unattained educational goals can lead to isolation and marginalization (Ahmed & Reddy, 2007).

Although not purposefully, Linda is cut off from the only thing she has ever known: the civilized world. The traumatic experience was a shock to her as she found herself alone, vulnerable, and in the hands of the dreaded savages. The exile was at first horrendous and against everything that she was conditioned to live out, but eventually proved to be enriching.

As a culture, Americans fear what they do not understand, but they more vehemently fear themselves and what they can become. Because of this aversion, Americans are conditioned to fear zombies not because of their monstrous appearance and cannibalistic eating habits, but because of their ability to become them. This fear translates to the American view on obesity. Not only do Americans misunderstand the notion of obesity, but they also fear becoming obese. As a result, the American media paints a picture of the ideal body that society is expected to fit, which consists of a taller and thinner than average female and a taller and more muscular male (Kemerly Lecture - 7/8/15). Those who do not meet this expectation are placed into the out-group. This paper will examine the effect this isolation has on the obese and how this relates to the attitude toward zombies in the film 28 Days Later.

Isolation can be a consequence of individuality. Think about for a second you friends and their interests. Aren’t some of their interests common to yours? People are likely to find others that are alike them in some way in order to make friends. This form of conforming can make people closer. Also there is an old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together” meaning that people who are alike will stick together. This old saying once again reiterates that those with more in common than not will be more inclined to stick together. Finally, though many may deny this fact, the majority of people in life judge others by the way they look. Seeing

Social capital is a concept identified by Robert D. Putnam that is “shorthand for social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trust to which those networks give rise” (Sander and Putnam 2010, p. 9). He developed this idea within the context of a disintegrating American public life. At the end of the twentieth century, Americans were no longer coming together for recreational and civic activities, rather they were isolating themselves. This trend led to distrust among communities and disengagement from civic life. Not participating in mundane, nonpolitical activities, people were also no longer taking part in the political sphere: there were empty social clubs and empty voting booths (Sander and Putnam 2010, p. 9). Loss of social capital was the loss of both community and any hope of political revitalization.

A study in 2013 found that social isolation increases the risk of death by 29%. It is a proven fact that human beings are created social creatures and can never exist in isolation because of the incompetency of fulfilling owns needs. According to Aristotle, the ultimate goal of a person’s life is to flourish and if one wants to flourish, the community needs to be flourish as well.

Isolation will be affected for life, often in every relationship they establish. I personally grew up with several great examples of this, including myself. The prime suspect to study is my father. He has a severe imbalance of isolation compared to intimacy. In turn he reflects that in every relationship present in his life.

Mercury is a rocky planet. The surface is heavily cratered like Earth’s moon. Mercury is also covered with boulders and pulverized dust. There is no sign of weather at all, be it clouds or rivers, dust storms or anything. Mercury is geologically dead. Mercury has dorsa, moon-like highlands, montes, planitiae, rupes, and valles. Mercury was heavily bombarded by comets and asteroids. The largest known crater is Caloris Basin with a diameter of 1550km. There are two different types of distinct geographic plains that can be seen on the surface of Mercury. The gently, rolling, hilly plains which are the oldest visible surface on the planet and smooth plains which are widespread flat areas that fill various areas. One feature that is odd would be the rupes, which crisscross the planet’s surface. Rupes are compression folds.

Social support constitutes the psychological and material resources provided by a social network to benefit an individual's ability to cope with stressful events. The perceived ability of social support may protect against the potential of stressful events to elicit psychological distress, depression, and anxiety. Cohen asserted that possible explanation for the buffering effect of being hugged is that hugs might be exchanged between individuals involved in a situation involving tension and conflict either as a means of resolving that conflict or as a counter to associated emotional aftereffects (138). Cohen summarized that these findings suggest that people who regularly receive hugs are more protected than those who do not (144). Several

Aspiration is a crucial element if an individual is to achieve lifelong dreams and live a personally fulfilling life. These goals or aims however, require persistence; and those around us [including friends or family] can impact the way we accomplish said goals. Isolation plays a large part in establishing how we move through society. Physical, emotional and social remoteness, will always affect an entity, while the presence of others can be completely ineffectual in our progression, due to the overwhelming abundance of exterior factors that relate to laws and pre conceived ideas. It’s not the individuals around us that help us to achieve but rather how the ideals of an entire society is projected to others.

Isolation is my favorite thing to do considering the fact that I love being alone so I can get to know myself better. Similarly, I tend to avoid social situations regarding the fact that I dislike being around large crowds because I feel unsafe making them a threat to my environment.