America indeed has company in being home to sociopaths. But it’s clear our sense of community is relatively weak. Long-term market worship has that effect. Which is a reason I founded a non-profit to facilitate service projects. They tend to give students opportunities to see themselves as contributors to the people around them. That’s pretty powerful.

Religious communities are on the wane. CrossFit and other group workout-based programs are the main ways American adults I know connect beyond their work and family circles. The pandemic has forced gyms to use Zoom and physically distanced outdoor workouts. Neither are a substitute for being in a room suffering together. These are particularly challenging times for building connection.