When people find out just how many of my neighbors I know and regularly talk to/spend time with, they are often surprised. I think it seems… quaint, and probably not what you expect from a millennial who spent her 20s and 30s on her phone, talking mostly to far-flung friends and strangers on social media apps.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who is re-discovering the emotional and practical benefits of getting to know your neighbors, and who is using a combination of digital tools and paper flyers to reach folks and stay in touch. As Sara Radin reports for Vox, ‘neighborism’ is having a moment. “It’s not just about wanting connection; folks are looking for support,” she writes. “Childcare is expensive. Rent and groceries are high. Climate emergencies are more frequent. For many Americans, the difference between stability and crisis comes down to whether someone nearby can help.”
The past decade of life in the US has been rough for many people, to say the least. Knowing that someone nearby sees you and feels a shared sense of responsibility to you and to the community is an easy, free way of making modern life a little less harsh.
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—Rachel Wilkerson Miller, senior editor
