Dispatches from the House Party

The Atlantic’s Ellen Cushing has a remedy for what ails the lonely American heart: “It’s parties,” she wrote, “and we need more of them.”

“Simply put, America is in a party deficit,” she continued, before citing survey data indicating that the number of Americans who report attending or hosting social events has declined over the last 20 years. Cushing also marshals anecdotal evidence suggesting Americans are desperate for parties but just don’t know where to find them. “Everyone wants to attend parties, but no one wants to throw them. We just expect them to appear when we need them, like fire trucks,” the author added. “My point is that we are obligated to create the social world we want.”