Why you don't know your neighbor.

[danjarch]

Before you all pronounce America doomed in the nieghbor department, the bigest growing trend is to make nieghborhoods walkable and friendly again. All your points are valid but just when you think it's all lost, people get bored of living like that. You don't turn a moving train on a dime, I'd be suprised if things are the same twenty years from now.

[Bene505]

I wonder how much of it has to do with the way we handle those who commit serious crimes. For instance, 3 years for murder seems a bit light. As a result, we are forced to protect our families by shutting ourselves in a little bit.

We've had that conversation many time with friends, that "when we were kids" Mom and Dad didn't expect us home until dark. Now it's completely turned around to where you want to know where your kids are every moment.

[wind_magic]

I think it's more than this.

People really are more isolated now, for whatever reason. Take family reunions, do you have as many people attend as you once did, do you even have family reunions anymore ? That has nothing to do with air conditioning, garage door openers, or anything, that's just the general attitude of people in society now.

I really think a lot of it has to do with the economy over the past few years, as I have said before. Instant riches, everyone feeling they were making money, hubris, etc, everybody wants to be an individual these days and nobody seems to think they have to be civil to anyone, much less rely on other people. I call it "riding slow in the left lane and holding up traffic" syndrome. I think you could call it "big suv with dark tinted windows"-itis. too. Everybody just moves around in their little bubble.

[HermitScott]

I love neighbor stories involving homosexuals. It reminds me that I need to try to take away their rights. (sometimes I forget)

[sailaway21]

Originally Posted by HermitScott

I love neighbor stories involving homosexuals. It reminds me that I need to try to take away their rights. (sometimes I forget)

The story related might remind you that most people don't give a damn what you do in the privacy of your own home despite your paranoia about them. I'd like to think that the couple described have had time to review just how they feel about their neighbor since he did them such a solid favor.

Your feelings on the status of poofters might well better belong in this thread:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/off-to...left-time.html

We'll look forward to your dissertations on civil rights, culture, and buggery there.

[AjariBonten]

Originally Posted by HermitScott

I love neighbor stories involving homosexuals. It reminds me that I need to try to take away their rights. (sometimes I forget)

I think Sway's point was that tolerance needs to go both ways.

[HermitScott]

What's a poofter?