The generation that came of age after World War II was a great civic generation. Since then, participation in community groups has declined. At the same time distrust of others has risen dramatically. Television, Putnam argues, increases pessimism about life by encouraging people to think that things are worse than they are. He cites studies showing that each hour of increased television viewing is associated with less social trust.
People are more suspicious.
People are more hostile and rude. Of course, the value of the individual has always been central to Unitarians. Unitarian minister Ralph Waldo Emerson resigned as minister of his Boston church and retired to Concord where he wrote essays on self-reliance and expressed a disdain for civic associations. Today in this church we affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. If this were all we needed to live full lives we could depart the church, worship nature and watch public television.