The Beeb seems to be doing more of those programmes in which articulate knowledgable people speak about issues in which they're not expert, I suppose because it's cheaper than the programme-makers having to do any research. This is an example of the kind (30 mins, available for seven days), an underwhelming programme about neighbours in which the thinking was done on the hoof.
Laurie Penny rescued it in part by pointing out that we can all live near to people and 'know' them and still be shocked or surprised to find out something fundamental about them; and that the same can apply in the online world. That was about the only insight on offer I'm afraid.
But I don't like to appear too negative, so here's an instance of where it might have got interesting, with a bit of thought. Guy Browning suggested that people would be more neighbourly if they were forced together more. The unstated and unexplored implication being that neighbourliness is an objective sufficiently desirable for other benefits (like comfort and privacy, say) to be sacrificed. Next time, they could start the debate there.
Thanks Martin for the heads-up.
