I’ve lived in both big cities and small towns. In big cities, I’m usually anonymous and can blend in as just another nameless person on the street. Most people don’t even really see me. There are some advantages to that but for more than twenty years I’ve lived in rural southwest Washington State. Here you get to know people. I can hardly go to town without stopping to talk with an old friend or two. I’ve finalized business deals by shaking hands. I go to church and community meetings with local elected officials and count several as friends. At this level, reputation and integrity matters.

Perhaps that’s why I don’t put much faith in social media.

Time and Newsweek dominated the newsmagazine business for decades after they were founded in the early years of the twentieth century. At different times in my younger days, I subscribed to both of the weekly magazines. However, since the turn of the century, both publications have seen steep declines in readership.