Great article James, and one you could probably write an entire book on without covering all the issues. The most unfortunate transition I have seen is the shift from the front porch to the backyard…exactly what you talked about with neighbors not wanting to know you. And without veering too far from the original topic, the lack of public transportation to the suburbs has (at least in Texas) a definite racist aspect. Years ago I was looking at a house in a suburb of Dallas and asked the realtor about the crime rates. Her response was that it was low “because the buses don’t run out here.” They would have built a freaking wall around the place if they could have.