Next Door

So I don't know if you've heard about this... wiki, maybe? App?... called Next Door.

Basically, you join it by giving your name and address. Then you're in this group with all your neighbors who have also joined, within what seems to me to be a two or three mile radius. People can then post information or questions they have.

For instance, a guy who will do lawn work in the area may post. Then you could hire him to mow your lawn.

Or if you've lost your dog, you can post a picture of the dog and ask your neighbors to keep an eye out.

I joined a few weeks ago, mainly to see what it was about.

What it's mostly about, as it turns out, is scared white people posting about how
"some man" knocked on their door. "This man," they post breathlessly, "knocked on my door today! Twice!" (Picture posted of a young brown man heading down the sidewalk.)

Or: "This man was walking down our street! He is looking at all the houses!" (Picture posted of an older white man.)

Or: "This man is running in our neighborhood! Should I call the police?" (Picture posted of a young black man in sweat pants and a jersey, running down the street, obviously jogging.)

Or: "I think this man is looking for drugs! He's been on our street twice!" (Picture of an older black man. FYI no one would be stupid enough to come to my neighborhood looking for drugs.)

People reply to these posts, mostly, with such terror and paranoia that you would think this neighborhood, instead of being one of the most boring and safest in the entire nation, was a literal war zone. They'll say things like, "I never answer the door unless I'm expecting a family member! You can't be too careful!"

Or: "Yes! Call the police! He's probably running away from them!"

Occasionally someone will post something like, "I think people on here are just a little paranoid," but that meets with screechy rebuttals about how "crime is out of control!" and "My friend's cousin just got her lawn decorations stolen by someone JUST LIKE that man!"

Lawn decorations. I kid you not. It was a cement pig, for those who are curious.

The part where people find and return one another's dogs is nice. But otherwise, jeez, all this app is doing is making me think less of my neighbors.