Forget MySpace—Neighbors Should Work on Our Space

Feeling a disquieting disconnect, author Peter Lovenheim recounts his attempt to weave a neighborhood—one sleepover at a time. Americans interact with their neighbors less than ever, Lovenheim writes in the New York Times; by some estimates, the decline has been underway since 1950. So Lovenheim decided to get to know his neighbors by asking if he could sleep over in their homes.

“Why is it that in an age of cheap long-distance rates, discount airlines and the Internet, when we can create community anywhere, we often don’t know the people who live next door?” Lovenheim asks. "Probably we don’t need to sleep over; all it might take is to make a phone call, send a note, or ring a bell. Why not try it today?" (More neighbors stories.)