Social Isolation And Social Capital

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).

“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”

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 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.

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.

You are all alone. There is no one to turn to. The paranoia increases, and the hope dwindles away. You are isolated. Isolation can be debilitating. It is a trap that is hard to escape. Sometimes it is forced upon a person and other times it is self-inflicted. There are times when people do not fit into any social group or environment. When someone does not feel like they belong, they begin to question who they are. Without someone to rely on and share in their struggles, life becomes more difficult. It can cause someone to reach the end of the line and not know what to do. Self-inflicted isolation, in some ways, is even more difficult. People may believe that isolation is the best solution to their problems, but it can actually make the situation worse. If they had others to help them or support them, their circumstances may be completely different. Sometimes it is caused by fear of the unknown or pride, but no matter what, self-inflicted isolation is rooted in people’s emotions rather than true logic. No matter how it comes about isolation changes who people are and their perception of the world. It can lead them to do things that they never imagined they would do. Isolation is a dangerous position to be in, and the sad fact is that most people know exactly how it feels.

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.

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.

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

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.

Socially isolated because they spend their activity times in front of the screens. Instead of these they can spend time with their friends and family and be more social and extrovert.

In of Mice and Men, the men working on a ranch communicates a sense of loneliness and isolation. First, they are there by themselves with no families or good friends. Second, they have got no real homes, nor a permanent job. Third, they have concerns about being kicked out of a job, if anything goes wrong. In addition, Curley’s wife is lonely because she has no one to talk with sincerity, nor someone who listens to her sincerity. The people in ranch try not to imply with any matter of her; meanwhile, she isolates herself from other people by showing herself as a flirty and mean women, and she longs for attention. On the other hand, Crooks is an older man who lives by himself in his own bunk; he takes care of the horses on the ranch, and he

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.