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Do You Feel Like Our Country Is in a Crisis? Join a Club — Any Club.

Bob's Bowling Team
Pete Davis
/
Join or Die Documentary
Bob's Bowling Team

In 2000, the social scientist Robert Putnam wrote the book “Bowling Alone.” It was a warning about the collapse of the American community. Why? Declining participation in neighborhood networks and civic clubs.

Organizations and clubs foster social capital and the skills for a successful society: organizing, running meetings, giving speeches, negotiating, cooperating and building trust within a community. In 2017, the PEW Research Center reported that 43% of Americans participated in zero clubs. Rebecca Davis, a journalist, was seeing the real-life effects of Putnam’s data in her reporting. That’s when she and her brother Pete began working on the film “Join or Die.” It’s an argument that any club — your local book club, or say, Friends of the Great Salt Lake — will bring benefits to you and society.

“Join or Die” is part of our Through the Lens film series with the Utah Film Center. You can join us for a screening followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Rebecca Davis and composer Chad Cannon. The screening is on Wednesday April 9, at 7 p.m. at the Main Salt Lake City Library. You can find more information here.

GUESTS – 

Rebecca Davis | Co-producer and co-director for the documentary “Join or Die.”

Pete Davis | Co-producer and co-director for the documentary “Join or Die.”

Airdate: Wed. April 9, 2025 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.