There is an epidemic ravaging our nation - but it isn't what you might think. It's not a virus. It's not obesity or addiction. It's the epidemic of 

, 61% of Americans between the ages of 18-25 report feeling lonely either "frequently" or "almost all of the time." 51% of mothers with young children report the same. More people report being lonely than the number of people who have diabetes, receive cancer diagnoses, or who smoke. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls loneliness a "dark thread" running underneath the whole of our culture. 

Over these last few decades of increased loneliness, political scientist and researcher Robert Putnam--called by some the "poet laureate of civil society"--has thoroughly researched our culture, and he believes the fate of lonely Americans rests in one arena: social involvement. 

Join us for our screening of the South By Southwest award-nominated film "Join Or Die," which overviews America's civic unraveling through Putnam's journey; the film not only exposes the pervasive loss of community through civic engagement, but also lights a path out of our democracy's current crisis.

Clint Leavitt

Join or Die

Alyssa Brocato 

Giulia Presutti

Jennifer Pearce

Sara Joe Wolansky

Hillary Clinton

Eddie Glaude Jr.

Jane McAlevey

Rebecca Davis

Chad Ervin

Pete Davis

Chad Cannon

Mark Lopez

Ronan Killeen

Rebecca Kent

Engy Adham

Rosemary Putnam

David Brooks

Eric Gulliver

Shaylyn Romney Garrett

Christian Oliveira

Julianne Holt-Lunstad

Raj Chetty

Priya Parker

Scott Heiferman

Erik Ljung

E.J. Enríquez

Allie Humenuk 

Keith Walker 

Nathan Golon 

JoeBill Muñoz

Umit Gulsen 

Alvin McBean 

Robert Putnam

Christoph Gelfand 

Edward Martinez 

Kyle I. Kelley

Pete Buttigieg

Stefan Wiesen

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

Anna Brotman-Krass 

Glenn Loury

Andrew Davis

David Campbell

Hahrie Han

Xavier Briggs

Mike Lee

Jenna Rosher

Inaya Graciana Yusuf

Katie Schwartz 

Cheryl Beadling 

Gabrielle Koehler 

Graham Deneen

Dunstan Thompson 

A film about why you should join a club—and why the fate of America may depend on it. Follow the story of America’s civic unraveling through the work of Robert Putnam, whose legendary Bowling Alone findings light a path out of our democracy’s crisis.

Documentary

Our space houses two central organizations for civil involvement: a non-profit center focused on serving at-risk women and families, and a church committed to providing community for spiritual wanderers and skeptics. These are precisely the sorts of organizations that Putnam names as central to the improvement of American civil society, and thus the space befits the film's goals. 
Parking is free on the north side of the building, and overflow parking can spill into adjacent lots either east or west of the address. Ticket-holders can enter from the south side of the building just off McDowell Rd., where a reception desk will be waiting to check tickets and provide admission to the venue. Snacks and beverages will be available for sale at the venue.

Midtown Presbyterian Church