"Health and Happiness": Analysis of Robert D. Putnam's Essay

Health and Happiness, an essay by Robert D. Putnam, argues that there is an indisputable link between an individual’s degree of social-connectedness and his physical well-being. This link of body and psychology is explained in terms of social-capital, a term used to illustrate the extent to which a person is integrated into his society. Thus, people will low social-capital are at a higher predisposition to suffer various physical illnesses, and those who are more sociable and have more meaningful connections with others gain an assortment of health benefits.

Health and Happiness: summary

One type of evidence that is prominent throughout the essay is that of academic studies. In just his second paragraph, Putnam draws evidence from dozens of studies from Alameda (California) to Tumstec (Michigan) to support his claim that social-capital is connected to our health. According to this evidence, social inclusion is linked very significantly to a decreased risk of health conditions such as strokes, colds, heart attacks, depression, cancer, and all sorts of other conditions. Even affiliations such as going to church can be very significant contributors towards protecting from these conditions. He also references a dozen studies in the United States, Scandinavia, and Japan, that showed that people who are socially disconnected are between two and five times more likely to die from all causes, compared with matched individuals who have close ties with friends, family, and community. This evidence mainly serves to buttress his claim about social-capital and well being, adding studies as a layer of rigor on top of what one would consider a relationship that many would consider “common sense”. Another important type of evidence Putnam uses in this essay is that of expert testimony.

According to Martin Seligman, a highly influential figure in the field of positive psychology, more of us are feeling down because modern society encourages a belief in personal control in autonomy more than a commitment to duty and common enterprise. This supports Putnam’s main claim because it shows that at least one top-tier psychologist believes that social integration is necessary, or at least related to rates of depressive moods among the general population. Putnam also refers to Lisa Berkman, Director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, as saying that social isolation is “a chronically stressful condition to which the organism responds by aging faster.” Again, we have an expert with authority in the field confirming Putnam’s proposition about the detriments of an insufficient social-capital. All of this evidence mainly serves dispel skepticism about the relationship between social interaction and health, and to illustrate the extent to which these findings are considered to be true within the scientific community.

Two rhetorical devices that Putman uses to advance his argument are analogies and appeals to logic. Putnam uses various analogies throughout the text to make it easier for the reader to understand the significance of the findings in practical terms. For example, Putnam makes the point that getting married is the “happiness equivalence” of quadrupling your annual income. Similarly, finishing a four-year college education is the equivalent of doubling your income. By using these analogies, Putnam makes concepts that may be difficult for a general audience (such as percentiles, correlation, etc.) tangible enough to be easily understood. Appeals to logos abound in this essay. For example, to explain the extent to which social interaction can be as helpful to health as another major change such as quitting smoking, Putnam argues that when given a choice to either quit smoking or joining a group of people, statistically the outcome would be the same. In making various logical appeals, Putnam remains consistent with the scientific tone of the essay, and makes his arguments seem stronger and more reliably based.

Conclusion

To conclude, in Health and Happiness Putnam provides compelling evidence for the connection between social capital and physical well-being. He draws upon academic studies and expert testimony to emphasize the importance of social integration for protecting against a wide range of health conditions. Through the use of analogies and appeals to logic, Putnam makes his arguments accessible and persuasive to a general audience. As we continue to navigate the challenges of modern society, his essay serves as a reminder of the vital role that meaningful connections with others can play in promoting our overall health and happiness.

References

1. Putnam, R. D. (1995). Bowling alone: America's declining social capital. Journal of democracy, 6(1), 65-78.
2. Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster.
3. Berkman, L. F., Glass, T., Brissette, I., & Seeman, T. E. (2000). From social integration to health: Durkheim in the new millennium. Social science & medicine, 51(6), 843-857.
4. House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988). Social relationships and health. Science, 241(4865), 540-545.
5. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological bulletin, 98(2), 310.
6. Kawachi, I., Kennedy, B. P., Lochner, K., & Prothrow-Stith, D. (1997). Social capital, income inequality, and mortality. American journal of public health, 87(9), 1491-1498.
7. Putnam, R. D. (2007). E pluribus unum: Diversity and community in the twenty-first century The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize Lecture. Scandinavian Political Studies, 30(2), 137-174.