I spent a large part of my childhood in a culture of reciprocity and sharing. A culture where community mattered and was strong. It also happened to be a culture and place of scarcity, which I'm certain was not coincidental.
Part of the problem with trying to evolve into a culture of sharing and community in the United States (with exceptions) is that Americans are so deeply, unabashedly, and unrepentantly (if that's not a word, it should be) individualistic. Centuries of that mindset are difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. The US is also a culture of plenty, whether that is true on the ground or not. As such, the proverbial lend me some sugar would no doubt raise eyebrows from neighbors who assume you can just go to the store and buy some for yourself, even if you need it RIGHT NOW.
That said, in an app like the one you propose people would opt into it so they would already be the kind of person for whom this would work. The trouble, I think, would be finding enough users near other users to actually make it work. I like the idea. My neighbors, of course, would have be cool with the fact that I'll be in my pajamas and have messy hair when they come get the sugar.
I spent a large part of my childhood in a culture of reciprocity and sharing. A culture where community mattered and was strong. It also happened to be a culture and place of scarcity, which I'm certain was not coincidental.
Part of the problem with trying to evolve into a culture of sharing and community in the United States (with exceptions) is that Americans are so deeply, unabashedly, and unrepentantly (if that's not a word, it should be) individualistic. Centuries of that mindset are difficult, if not impossible, to reverse. The US is also a culture of plenty, whether that is true on the ground or not. As such, the proverbial lend me some sugar would no doubt raise eyebrows from neighbors who assume you can just go to the store and buy some for yourself, even if you need it RIGHT NOW.
That said, in an app like the one you propose people would opt into it so they would already be the kind of person for whom this would work. The trouble, I think, would be finding enough users near other users to actually make it work. I like the idea. My neighbors, of course, would have be cool with the fact that I'll be in my pajamas and have messy hair when they come get the sugar.