> As you point out, there might be active interventions > to try and replace this connection (e.g. volunteering), > but the default has shifted from "get

> As you point out, there might be active interventions > to try and replace this connection (e.g. volunteering), > but the default has shifted from "get to know the people > around you through transactions" I grew up in (and recently bought a home in) a place where we were very close to our neighbors, but we were a mile or two away from the nearest retail stuff. I'm completely into the idea of "get to know the people around you" - it's actually the "through transactions" part that doesn't resonate with me! In my head I'm like, "I shovel my neighbor's snow and build snow forts with their kids. Why would I need to be friends with the dude who works at the convenience store too? If I am, great, but it's not exactly a pressing need in order to form a connection with my surroundings..." But I realize that's not everybody's situation. I have lived in places where neighbors didn't typically befriend each other. I definitely realize that friendly neighbors are a luxury. In my experiences, renters don't typically attempt to form friendships like homeowners do since renting is more of a transitory thing. And owning a home is definitely not advisable for everybody, nor attainable for everybody.