Another link

[velvetpage]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/10/933/94851

The cost of declining social capital.

This is what I have often noticed in my students. Those who attended church or a similar religious institution usually had better literacy, better skills relating to people of all ages, and a larger range of experience generally than people of the same socio-economic class who didn't attend church. It has little to do with the religious aspects (beyond an understanding of common purpose) and everything to do with social capital.

Comments

[normanrafferty.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering what effect teh interweb (http://www.tinyurl.com/7ex4) is having on future social development. I know I personally feel more connected.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Hey, I have a question which you may have an anwer for (or you may be able to point me towards a community that could answer this question).

The statistics I'm working on for an article indicate that between 1997/1998 and 2001/2002, the number of kids being enrolled in Junior Kindergarten in Ontario increased substantially, and steadily, both in general and in relation to how many kids in each individual cohort were enrolled in first grade two years later. Did some grades make either Junior or Senior Kindergarten mandatory, or did some school boards start offering JK when it wasn't offered before?

[collie13.livejournal.com]

I would love to have some sort of social capital group to attend regularly. They're hard to find, though, and when I tried starting one, I was not as successful as I'd hoped. Any suggestions on how to find a non-religious one? Hmm... I think I'd even accept a religious one, as long as it was more oriented towards kindness and tolerance.

[renface.livejournal.com]

Is it safe to assume that my children will be less socially prepared because I am not planning to take them to church?

I went to church for years and years, and I didn't gain any social capital (save for one good friend) because people treated me just as poorly at church as they did in school or anywhere else. (If the child is considered different in one setting, he/she is likely to be considered different everywhere, it seems.)