In modern cities an increasing number of people do not know their neighbor and never feel a sense of community. What are the causes of this situation? How can we change it?

In an era when a growing 1proportion of the populationproportion of population lives in urban regions, the phenomenon that residents tend to be unfamiliar with their neighbors and lack a sense of community and belonging has sparked an intense debate. From my perspective, the prevalence of the Internet and urbanization trends may contribute to this phenomenon. In order to address it, the government should take immediate and effective measures. To begin with, there is no denying that the popularity of the Internet and portable digital devices, including mobile phones, tablets and laptops, 2weakens relationships among neighborsestranges the relationships between neighbors. With 3theirits convenience and efficiency in communication, individuals get accustomed to utilizing mobile phones to interact with their friends or families, which can transcend geographical and temporal barriers. However, online chatting characterized by insufficient face-to-face communication may impair people’s capabilities to distinguish others’ emotions through subtle facial expressions and body 4languagegestures. Therefore, when people want to socialize with their neighbors, they tend to ignore their genuine feelings. Besides, digital indulgence means that netizens are immersed in the virtual world and activities such as scrolling through short videos, playing games and chatting with strangers, reducing their free time for offline communication with neighbors. More importantly, due to the configuration of modern cities and 5the structure of buildingsstructure of buildings, it is difficult for citizens to become acquainted with their neighbors. 6Undoubtedly, compared to the past when dwellers 7inhabited bungalowsinhabited in bungalows with large public spaces, contemporary cities are packed with apartments and skyscrapers where 8people's privacypeople’ privacy is being strengthened at the expense of public areas for social interaction to promote interpersonal relationships. 9To begin with,First and foremost, the government can allocate more funds towards the construction of community centers with more amenities, which can enable neighbors to engage in communal activities and make acquaintances with each other. Furthermore, it is advisable for the local authority to enact some policies or regulations to incentivize 10face-to-face interactionsthe face-to-face interactions. For instance, 11residentspersons who develop a sound relationship with their neighbors can be rewarded with a reasonable sum of subsidies to stimulate other people’s motivation.