Tim, I think some of it just has to do with where you live, too. I didn't know any of my neighbors the whole time I lived in Vegas, but that seemed like part of the overall culture to me. If you were out shopping, people looked through you and tried to pretend you didn't exist. The weather, crime, traffic and tiny yards there make it so it's hard to have kids playing out in the yard or neighbors invite each other over for barbeques.
Since I moved out here to Williamsburg, everyone on my road waves when they drive past, even if they don't know you. I don't know anyone here in town, but I've a dozen complete strangers strike up conversations with me while I've been out shopping. People just seem more open to human interaction here than any place else I've lived.
I remember reading some book on human evolution and social development, and it basically said that humans are hard-wired to be most comfortable in "tribes" of 100 people or less. So, when we move to these huge cities with millions of people, we have to develop coping mechanisms, and part of that is ignoring some of the people around us to feel more comfortable. I think people who live in smaller cities feel more comfortable and are more likely to seek human interaction.
Geez. Sorry. I got a little long-winded.This is actually something I think about quite a lot, because I want to live somewhere where neighbors sit down and have drinks together on summer evenings, and have barbeques on the 4th of July. I'm still not quite there, but I'm getting a lot closer.
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