I had to quit Nextdoor. The same small cabal of loudmouths was overwhelming the forums with strong (yet uninformed) opinions, reflex hatred of anything signalling change, and a general seething that bordered on xenophobia. I expect some NIMBYism, but this was outrageously militant hatred of the future masquerading as quaint pride.
Nextdoor also seems to give people strange priorities for civic engagement. Winning an argument on Nextdoor doesn't change policy...speaking at Council/School Board meetings does, or better yet, running in an election.
Lots of people on our local Nextdoor seemed frustrated that the Council were voting contrary to some conclusion that was reached on the site. They failed to realize they needed to be making arguments where it mattered - at Council meetings, not online in some private forum.
Right, exactly! The one thing Nextdoor taught me is that people are truly just as awful as you could imagine. I have lived in nice neighborhoods -- as I imagine a fair amount of HN readers do -- and the blase of outright totally racist posts just... Well, it was just shocking, and I have to say that I'm not shocked by very many things. That some people know that they're posting to their physical neighbors and still saying the things they say... It's almost like they live on another planet altogether. Now, another very weird thing is that I've moved into a new neighborhood literally down the street from my old one, and I was equally shocked to learn that this particular neighborhood is totally reasonable, and I haven't even seen a single racist hate-post.
Nextdoor definitely exposed me to the racist, backwards reality of living among old, wealthy, scared, white people.
The thing that's worse about elections being won by idiots and racists is now you know that most people around you are idiots, racists, or happy to stand next to the racist idiots.
I must admit, every time I saw the phrase "close-knit communities" in that article I thought "curtain-twitching suburban Nazis". The problem the article was actually about suggests they'll be on an uphill battle with this one.
"But this was outrageously militant hatred of the future masquerading as quaint pride."
It seems that you have a problem with other people's opinions.
It might be you that has 'the problem' and not they.
'They' have a right to view their community and nation in the terms they see fit, whereas you don't seem to even ascribe them that right, moroever, you take a moral position on the issue.
'Diversity' does not mean different skin tone. It means differing opinions, attitudes and behaviours.
The people who scream 'tolerance' out loud are rarely tolerant.
Unless there is borderline hate speech - then I suggest that conversations between individuals should remain their own - not subject to controls by the government or private corporations.
Nextdoor also seems to give people strange priorities for civic engagement. Winning an argument on Nextdoor doesn't change policy...speaking at Council/School Board meetings does, or better yet, running in an election.
Lots of people on our local Nextdoor seemed frustrated that the Council were voting contrary to some conclusion that was reached on the site. They failed to realize they needed to be making arguments where it mattered - at Council meetings, not online in some private forum.