Was anyone not captivated by the human chain spontaneously formed by 80 beachgoers in Panama City to rescue a large group of people drowning in a riptide? It was as visually fascinating as it was morally edifying, given that 80 strangers – on one of the most beautiful (and little known) beaches in the world – came together with no prompting, no central authority, no orders from anyone – with a singular mission to rescue some 14 fellow human beings from a grim and certain vortex of death.  Their quick work ensured that every last person instead got out alive. While there are no full news accounts of who the 80 people were, it's known that the beachgoers did not know each other, and it's likely that many of them were there on vacation from other parts of the country. So what it's really a statement on is the high social capital that still exists in the United States.  You don't see it in Europe, where passive denizens would calmly...(Read Full Post)