Neighbors or Strangers?

When I came to the steps of my apartment building on my way home from work today I came up the stairs just as one of my neighbors was unlocking the first door. I found it strange that she didn't turn around to see who was behind her. She just kept looking straight as she walked into the vestibule, unlocked the 2nd door and just barely turned back as she held the 2nd door for me to check out who was behind her.

I always turn around to see who is right behind me and always say, "Hi". I live in a fairly small/close knit building. Aside from my mother and grandmother who also live in the apartments and another family we know living in the building, that leaves 4 apartments with tenants we don't officially really know, other than through the fact that they are my neighbors. Of those 4 there is only one couple (who have been here for several years now) that I can talk to (and it is reciprocated).

As for the other tenants they all seem to quickly walk out the building very quickly when they hear someone else coming out or when passing by the hallway when one is entering and the other is coming don't even look at me or say anything. Usually, I say hello but I can tell they want to just quickly be on their way.

Don't people talk to each other anymore? I think it's kind of sad that I don't know my own neighbors. When I was a lot younger I remember seeing the neighbors always talk to each other, say hi and have small talk. I saw it everywhere I went. Nowadays it seems like everyone just wants to go inside their homes and hide. You don't even see kids outside playing with each other anymore.

Personally I'd like to know who my neighbors are; Have small chit chat with them once in a while. When I was on the train this morning there was a girl talking to another person and she was saying how in her neighborhood people are hiding in their houses. They don't sit outside or talk to anyone. And it's really true. People just come and go. They don't smile. They don't say hello. What happened to community and just getting to know the people that you live with? It's like the entire sense of community is slowly fading.

And I ask myself, "Is it a generational thing or is it a big city thing". It's hard to tell in my neighborhood since the majority demographic is probably in their 20s and year after year it seems to be getting younger. Just several years ago it seemed to be more mid to late 20 somethings and still some families. Now I'm starting to see many people who look like they are still in college. And this is New York city of course, but unlike Manhattan Brooklyn usually tends to be more of a community borough anyway. But as you see this neighorbhood slowly turning into more like the East Village it's starting to feel a little more like a Manhattan vibe and I hope my neighborhood doesnt lose it's sense of community too quickly.