Dr. Emily Smith’s The Science of the Good Samaritan: Thinking Bigger about Loving Our Neighbors is a thoughtful exploration of the psychology and social science behind compassion, empathy, and helping others. Drawing on a wide range of research, Smith demonstrates how our brains, environments, and habits influence whether we notice and respond to the needs of those around us. The book is well-researched and offers practical insights for anyone seeking to become more attentive and compassionate. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to translate scientific research into practical application. Smith highlights how busyness, distraction, and the “bystander effect” often keep people from noticing opportunities to help others. She also emphasizes that intentional habits of slowing down, paying attention, and practicing empathy make us more likely to respond when someone is in need. These findings are valuable reminders that loving our neighbors requires more than good intenti...

For generations, Americans have liked to believe we are a nation of good neighbors. We tell stories about borrowing sugar across the fence, keeping an eye on one another’s homes, and gathering on front porches after dinner. Many people still assume those habits are alive and well. But recent research suggests something deeper is happening beneath the surface: the idea of neighboring is quietly fading from everyday American life.  A recent article from the American Enterprise Institute examined new survey findings showing that Americans increasingly define being a “good neighbor” not by engagement, but by distance. In other words, many people now believe the best neighbors are quiet, private, and uninvolved. Younger adults especially tend to see neighboring less as relationship-building and more as respectful separation.  That should concern us. Privacy is important. Boundaries matter. No one wants neighbors who are intrusive or disrespectful. But when neighboring becomes litt...

  There’s a disturbing clarity in watching The Perfect Neighbor — a 2025 documentary that has become one of the most talked-about films of the year. Told almost entirely through police body camera footage, 911 calls, and real recordings from Ocala, Florida, the film replays the fatal shooting of Ajike “A.J.” Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother of four, by her white neighbor, Susan Lorincz. What begins as minor complaints about kids playing in a backyard spirals into a confrontation that ended in death, incarceration, and national conversation about race, guns, and community.  Directed by Geeta Gandbhir and released on Netflix after premiering at Sundance, the film has been lauded for its unflinching use of real footage — no dramatic re-enactments, no narrated opinions — leaving viewers to sit in the uncomfortable space of witnessing a slow buildup of fear, resentment, miscommunication, and institutional failures.  As we watch arguments over noise, perceived trespass, and p...