| “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another ‘What? You too? I thought I was the only one!’” | | —C.S. Lewis |
| “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” | | —John Donne |
| “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” | | —Hellen Keller |
- Dear Reader, The holiday season is a time of fun and travel and gifts and turkey and all the other trappings, but it’s also a time of reflection. This week, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the ties that bind us together. If you’ve even casually followed Thoughts from the Frontline this year, you’ll know I’ve been writing frequently about the divisions, angst, and sweeping changes that characterize America right now. You’ll also know that I’m the biggest long-term bull on the US. But sometimes it’s tough to remain unwaveringly optimistic, especially when we seem to be moving further and further apart. Out of Range A recent article in the Boston Globe said that almost 35% of Americans never spend time with their neighbors. That marks a huge increase from the 1970s. It also pointed out that in the mid 1980s, about half of us said we trusted others; now it’s about 3 in 10. Is the rise of social media to blame for this disconnection? Partly, sure. Is the thick blanket of mainstream media coverage to blame for the growing levels of mistrust in others? It’s one reason. What’s clear is that we’re growing apart when we should be growing together. Now, I’m not saying that dropping in on your neighbor for a cup of coffee is going cure the country’s problems. But it’s a step in the right direction. We should be focused on community, and we should be focused on building the right kind of community. I’d really like to know your thoughts on this. Do you think that the idea of community, as we know it, is on its way out? Do you think that’s contributing to the angst I’ve been writing about this year? If you have a brief minute this week in between holiday preparations, your opinions would be appreciated. Email me at johnmauldin@mauldineconomics.com. Your looking for connections analyst, ![[signature]](http://d1v8wrjcw5hdn6.cloudfront.net/virtual-summit/jm-signature.png)
 | John Mauldin
Chairman, Mauldin Economics |
| 
