When Hannah Arendt wrote of 'the rise of the social', she did not mean 'social' in the conventionally broad sense of people interacting or 'socializing' as in casual interaction. Instead, she used the term 'the social' in a very specific and critical way to describe a historical and political phenomenon of modernity.

Here's a breakdown of what Arendt meant by 'the rise of the social':

• Blurring of the Public and Private Spheres: For Arendt, the 'social' emerges with the breakdown of the distinct boundaries between the public realm (the sphere of politics, freedom, and action) and the private realm (the sphere of necessity, the household, and basic survival).
• Emphasis on Economic and Biological Needs: The 'social' arises when concerns traditionally belonging to the private sphere – particularly economic needs and the biological life process – increasingly dominate the public realm. Society becomes primarily organized around the management of these life processes on a mass scale.  
• The Ascendancy of 'Behavior': In the realm of the 'social', genuine political action (which for Arendt is characterized by freedom, plurality, and the capacity to initiate something new) is replaced by predictable behavior. Individuals are increasingly seen and treated as members of a mass, whose actions are determined by social and economic forces rather than by free will and political deliberation.
• Loss of Individuality and Plurality: The 'social' tends towards conformity and homogeneity. The unique individuality and diverse perspectives (plurality) that are essential for a vibrant public and political life are diminished as individuals are molded by social norms and expectations.
• The Rise of 'Society' as a Mass Entity: Arendt saw the 'social' as leading to the rise of 'society' in the modern sense – a large, undifferentiated mass of individuals primarily concerned with their private well-being and social standing, rather than with active participation in the public and political realm.
• A Threat to Freedom and Politics: For Arendt, the 'rise of the social' is a dangerous trend because it erodes the space for genuine political action and diminishes human freedom. When society is primarily focused on managing life and ensuring social welfare, the higher human capacities for freedom, speech, and action in concert are stifled.  

In summary, when Arendt spoke of 'the rise of the social', she meant a fundamental shift in the organization of human life where the concerns of the private, economic realm increasingly encroach upon and dominate the public, political realm, leading to a society of mass behavior and a decline in genuine political action and freedom. It was a critical observation about the nature of modern society, not simply a description of people interacting with each other. AI