How to Know a Person — Chapter Eight: The Epidemic of Blindness

1. 1. Between 1999 and 2019, American suicide rates increased by 33 percent.
2. 2. The percentage of Americans who said they have no close friends quadrupled between 1990 and 2020.
3. 3. Lonely people are seven times more likely than non-lonely people to say they are active in politics.
4. 4. The politics of recognition does not actually give you community and connection; it leads to a sadistic striving for domination.
5. 5. Many mass shooters are 'failed joiners' who decide to commit suicide in a way that gives them fame and recognition.
6. 6. Schools abandoned moral formation after World War II, focusing instead on SAT scores and career success.
7. 7. Usage of morality-related words like 'bravery' and 'gratitude' plummeted over the 20th century, according to Google's Ngram Viewer.
8. 8. In 1966, nearly 90% of college students wanted to develop a meaningful philosophy of life; by 2000, only 42% did, with financial success becoming the top goal.