The Upswing, Robert D. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett

 

The Upswing: How America came together a century ago and how we can do it again by Robert D. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett is a book about sociological change on a 125 year cycle.

Started: 11/23/2020
Completed: 11/28/2020
Recommendation: Recommended
Recommended By: Nobody

Review:

This book is the argument that there has been an I-We-I cycle across numerous variables in several categories.  Whether it is gender equity, racial equity, or economic equity (again, among others) there is a detectable cycle from a self-centered to a communal and back angle on social activity.  This ranges from policy to baby names.

The authors suggest that the key to the "We" portion of the cycle was diverse groups working together on a local level.  Examples of such groups would be the Rotary Club (maybe not so diverse itself as it was all male) and the NAACP (also not terribly diverse itself).  These groups sort of picked at the edges of issues until (in some cases such as suffrage and civil rights) they were in a position to tackle the whole issue.  This developed a sense of people working together which made society more of a group working together instead of everyone trying to "get what's owed."  The broad suggestion is that through cooperative grass-roots groups, it may be possible to turn the cycle around and get back to the "We" in 50 years or so.  Ugh.