I was talking to a friend who now lives in Germany, and he was talking about how strong the German social institutions [still] are, at least from his (British) perspective: Christmas markets, chess clubs, drinking clubs, clubs of all kinds, and everyone a member of at least a couple; and even quite formalized ways of interacting with them: you go once with your work colleagues, once with your non-work friends, once with your family. "The joke is that the Germans need a system to have fun."

(I don't know anything about this, so don't get mad at me, Germans, it was him who said it!)

Assuming this is true, it's an intriguing contrast to what's happened in the States, which is basically the antithesis of all that: no customs, no broad civic pursuits, the demolition of community and non-religious ritual. I hadn't considered that the employment connection could be a factor, and the monetary connection to the employment connection. Food for thought for sure.