Petty and Ridiculous Dispatches From 'Best of Nextdoor'

Ada Elder

Jan 30, 2023 11:00 AM EST

Living in New York City is a little different than the suburbs or even smaller cities across the country. Being exposed to the antics of other people almost 24/7 gives us what seems like tolerance for the quirks of other humans. In reality, at least for me, that tolerance is just me tuning them out. If I had a dime for every time another human, whether next door or on the subway, bothered me with their noise, their smells, or their general inconsiderateness, I'd have a million dollars. But alas, I do not.

The tolerance that comes with big-city living doesn't seem to apply to other parts of the country, where Nextdoor is used to keep community members connected, whether about emergencies or petty complaints. In my neighborhood, the posts are sparse and are mostly advertisements from local cleaning professionals or handymen. Needless to say, we prefer pettiness. And the @BestofNextdoor Twitter account is absolutely full of the content that we desire. The pettiness is through the roof and comes from people from all walks of life. We here in Brooklyn may not have a big NextDoor presence, but at least we can enjoy the antics vicariously.