How important is it to have a best friend? This article explains the health benefits of having close relationships with others. It also points out some interesting differences in cultural expectations related to friendship.
Category Archives: The Individual and Society
Searching for Common Ground in Angry Times
In this article, two authors explain how polarization in American society can be a major roadblock to productive, civil discussions about difficult issues.
Our choices may be making us more individualistic
Whether it’s picking out a box of cereal from the grocery aisle or deciding which sources to get our information from, we make all kinds of choices every day. This article suggests that having all these choices may ultimately have a negative impact on society.
The Pandemic Has Shaken Students’ Sense of Themselves
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected young people and their sense of how they fit into society?
What We Owe Each Other
A social contract is an implied agreement among the people of a society about the rules that define their government. The author of this piece believes it’s time to establish new social contracts to replace systems that aren’t working well anymore.
What the ‘Lyme wars’ can teach us about COVID-19 and how to find common ground in the school reopening debate
Lyme disease, which people get from tick bites, is a subject of controversy in the medical field. What can we learn from this controversy that might help people deal with disagreements about COVID-19 and reopening schools?
Coronavirus: How can society thrive post-pandemic?
How has COVID-19 affected our connections with one other? What other questions should we be asking about how society should move forward from the pandemic? Click this link to read what a diverse group of experts think.
How social media turns online arguments between teenagers into real-world violence
What role does social media play in creating conflict in our society? This article explains how online disagreements can lead to violence in real life.
Conflict Resolution Skills
The most you can control in any conflict is one side—your own. Learn ways to manage your emotions and use approaches that will help you work toward resolving conflicts with other people.
Need to Dust Off Your Social Skills?
This article provides some advice for re-learning the social skills we may have lost during the many isolating months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic has shown the flaws of American individualism
Many Americans firmly believe that individuals should be independent and self-reliant. But the author of this commentary argues that too much individualism can lead to tyranny rather than freedom.
For America to Succeed, We Must Find Common Ground
The author of this article points out that humans are more successful when they cooperate. He urges Americans to unite under our nation’s flag, in spite of political differences.
Healing the political divide
This article examines the reasons for the current level of political division in the United States and considers how we might go about trying to improve the situation.
Many Black and Asian Americans Say They Have Experienced Discrimination Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak
According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, Asian and Black Americans are experiencing racism and discrimination more frequently than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click this link to learn more about the results of the survey.
Dare to Disagree
Constructive conflict fuels progress far better than passive agreement does. Learn how great ideas and strong results can stem from disagreement.
The surprising downsides of empathy
Empathy—the ability to understand the feelings of others—is an important aspect of emotional intelligence. However, the author of this piece suggests that empathy can have negative effects. Click the link to learn more.
Civic Participation
Participating in society in ways like volunteering or voting provides some surprising health benefits.
Why a German Photographer Trained His Lens on 100-year-old Models
People say with age comes wisdom. With this in mind, photographer Karsten Thormaehlen photographed and interviewed centenarians. What can you learn about yourself and life?
Walt Whitman’s Brooklyn
Walt Whitman spent a great deal of his life in Brooklyn. Choose a part of Walt Whitman’s Brooklyn to explore, complete with commentary, photographs, and Whitman’s own words.
America’s First Me Generation
In this book review, Laura Miller draws connections between the Transcendentalists of the 19th century and individualist movements of the 1960s and 1970s.