These are problems and solutions created by a very weak American social fabric that no longer has any meaningful element larger than the nuclear family. See Rob

These are problems and solutions created by a very weak American social fabric that no longer has any meaningful element larger than the nuclear family. See Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone." When I stay with my cousins in India, they can borrow anything they need on pretty short notice. We wanted to play chess -- my cousin went a few doors down to borrow their chess board. He saw that the cardboard chess board was falling apart -- he spent about half an hour fixing it up with tape. The closest that you see in America, since the days of Elks Lodges and bowling leagues are behind us, are religious communities. Mormons, for example, have a very tight-knit community of friends that they see frequently. Forget a power drill -- if your house burns down, your fellow Mormons will be there in an hour to get you housed/clothed/fed/taken care of.