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The Village Effect

How Face-to-face Contact Can Make Us Healthier and Happier
ksoles
Oct 06, 2014ksoles rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
"The Village Effect" highlights the real and tangible benefits of belonging to a community. No, virtual social networks don't count. But whether you socialize in your familial, remote Italian town, take part in a worship group or merely sit down for a family meal complete with conversation, what matters, argues Susan Pinker, is that you connect with other humans. Indeed, having people to rely upon and spend time with proves as beneficial to health as eating right and exercising. The more we isolate ourselves, the sicker we become, the more pain we experience and the sooner we die. In a sexist but evident way, this book shows that matriarchy rules society; women position themselves as alphas in most villages and can determine who fits into the community and who sits on the fringes. Men, however, consistently display the inclination to squirrel away, especially if they're married. If they make no effort to socialize, they easily find themselves one person away from being completely alone. But interestingly, Pinker also explores the negative aspects of a close-knit circle. She cites the Ponzi schemes of Bernie Madoff and Eddie Jones as an example of the dark side to community; too much trust can backfire. Susan Pinker writes in an unassuming manner and renders facts with a plain ease. She sites a multitude of studies but cohesively weaves them into a well-researched, decisive thesis. She also brings personality into the chapters, relaying anecdotes and adding humanity to what would otherwise read as a tedious synthesis of research papers. At times the reader wants to interject that correlation does not necessarily mean causation but overall the varied sources and results of environmental tracking get harder to ignore when they all reach the same conclusions. "The Village Effect" ultimately proves that you cannot mentally, physically or emotionally afford to become an island unto yourself. It offers a clear indictment against solitude and of thinking that a virtual community can provide any of the mortal benefits of a physical one.