The Blindness of Social Wealth

I don't think it's about insecurity. I think it's that YT is usually consumed alone, and having someone with whom to share a reaction enhances the experience. For me, it's about emotional contagion: if others are laughing, you're going to laugh more, too. So, pile on top of this a charismatic personality that attracts people, and its entirely sensible you have commentators/reactors to video game streams or live streams, rather than just the base content which is devoid of social experience.

There certainly is a crisis that social media and greedy online platforms (greedy for your time and ad dollars) prey upon. And yes the breakdown of social relationships with family, community and neighbors is certainly a big part of this. But consider historical factors in the USA. The breakdown of church - this was the de facto center of many communities for generations up until the post-vietnam era and the culture wars that have ensued. Combine this with the loss of farms - from more than 6 million in 1935 to roughly 2 million in 2012 - farms have gotten bigger. When agriculture dominated the rural economy having closer knit ties with neighbors was not so much a choice but a necessity. Also we are a country that embraced the idea of moving - be it from the city to the suburbs or the American South to the industrial American north. We have not done a very good job replacing those connections and it is breeding an epidemic of loneliness and addiction - not only to digital media but also to opiates. There is not an easy fix of course but folks should certainly consider the intrinsic value of these things before they decide to write off their family or community because of a difference of opinion or worldview. And another factor is that capital is increasingly accumulated at the top percent or 1/10th percent of earners. The folks in the middle and lower class find they have to work more to have a quality life than they did a generation or two ago. We are so busy working and driving to work and running our kids around that we barely have any time for friends and that is truly a shame.

You develop social capital by fostering relationships with other people. By being responsible, and having positive interactions. You'll develop that capital not just with them, but also with the people around you and them.

If you have a positive relationship with someone, and they think well of you, then their friends and family and colleagues will accept their voucher (assuming they have a positive relationship with those people).

You want to do this starting from zero? I've done it, though not with the intent of developing social capital. I was just tired of being lonely.

Seek out people to do things with. I started attending mass again. I went to Bible studies. I joined a soccer team (I sucked at soccer, still do). I went to movies and dinners with people. When they invited me to an event, I'd say yes unless I really had something else to do (could legit be cleaning the apartment, but usually meant travel or work or obligations to other people).

Be responsible, be honest. When they invite you and you say yes, you show up. Do not be a flake. You will get a reputation as a flake and your social capital will go down the drain.

As you meet more people, foster deeper friendships and connections with those who it makes sense to. Do not force it. Several people I met this way had very similar technical interests to me, we developed a stronger connection over that and I got a new job. Others have similar academic or travel or other interests, and we connected over that. Others, we just have mutual respect for each other and cared about the other's wellbeing.

Take charge. Initiate and plan events. Doesn't have to be all of them, but some of them. Don't drop a hint, "Wouldn't it be fun to go to the beer festival this weekend?". Send out the invitation, do the planning. Set the times. People show or the don't. Start doing this, they'll start showing. And when they don't, let it flow over you. Don't take it as a personal rejection (even if you may not it to be that). Enjoy the day, and meet people at the event.

Over time this becomes more natural if it feels weird at the start. And don't think about it from a social capital perspective. Just focus on the doing things with other people, especially things you enjoy, aspect.

And once you have the initial circle, especially if you take ownership of it by leading the call to gather and do things together, it'll expand. People will bring in people from their other social circles. Some will stick around, some won't. Merge your various circles. I have colleagues and friends, I invite both to movies and things. This moves people from the "associate" or "acquaintance" categories to the "friend" category when we hit it off. Sometimes they bring people and those are the ones I connect with.

In modern Western culture we've killed God and I think we're learning what the consequences of that mean.

This isn't really new, right? Laugh tracks and live audiences have been used in radio/tv since the 50s for the same purpose.