What Has Happened Since the book "Bowling Alone"

Probably few readers know of Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. It was discussed everywhere when it was published in 2000. I seldom see it referred to today although Wikipedia says it is frequently required reading in college social science classes. 

Putnam, a retired Political Science Professor at Harvard, is credited with the term "social capital." This refers to social organizations that have existed traditionally in communities large and small across the U.S. There are fewer churches, service clubs and other groups as the years have passed. Putnam had written about what he perceived to be a general decline in happiness that he attributed to the fewer opportunities to socialize or experience community. He came up with a research project to document the decline in social capital, recording the decline in the number of organizations he had assigned to it. After considerable research to document these declining numbers, which represented a rather uninteresting book of numbers, the name "Bowling Alone" was suggested. Because of the two-word name that was dripping with emotion, the book was a best seller. Putnam must have collected some nice speaking fees. His "finding", of course, was that the U.S. has become a nation of lonely disconnected people. 

Now, twenty-five years later, I'm not sure the concept of social capital and the book is as significant as was thought at the time. It is true the locally owned coffee shops where people gathered to chat, the churches and service clubs are disappearing. Other things have taken their place. Putnam included the closing of locally owned cafes as social capital. Now I see retired people chatting in McDonalds. Why is that a sign or measure of isolation?

The internet links people of common interest who would not have found each other in past years. It seems to me "social capital" is present in relationships on the net. If people are face to face on their phones they can connect in meaningful ways.

There are many videos made by elderly people who say they are happy not interacting with people as often as they did when they were younger. They say they would rather spend time alone than be forced to socialize with people they don't really care for. 

I bought and read Bowling Alone when it was popular. I tossed it shortly after I read it because it seemed to overstate loneliness and use "measurements" that were meaningless.