Day 72: “We Cannot Lose Our Humanness.” Are You Kidding, Nextdoor?
I saw Nirav Tolia is back on the podcast circuit, this time with Scott D. Clary on Success Story.
The title certainly got my attention:
“The Man Who Connected 100 Million Neighbors Says AI Is About to Make Us All Lonelier.”
Podcast:
https://lnkd.in/d6ncXhpj
Video:
https://lnkd.in/dY9AazUx
One of the first statements from Nirav highlighted in the LinkedIn post was:
“We cannot lose our humanness.”
I read that and thought:
He's kidding, right?
Not because I disagree with the statement.
Actually, I completely agree with it.
My issue is the disconnect between the rhetoric and what I've been observing and experiencing with Nextdoor.
What Does “Humanness” Actually Require?
Being human isn't simply having conversations about the dangers of AI.
To me, humanness includes:
Listening.
Empathy.
Accountability.
Acknowledging someone even when the conversation is uncomfortable.
And that's where Nirav's statement becomes fascinating when compared with what's happening at the company he leads.
It's Day 72 since I requested the detailed Home Insurance Insights research.
Enough said about that.
But this isn't only about me.
What About Nextdoor's Small Businesses?
I've been watching the reaction to Nextdoor's new pay-to-play approach, where businesses may have to pay to comment as businesses when a neighbor posts looking for a service.
And I've seen small-business owners who are not happy.
These aren't giant corporations with unlimited marketing budgets.
They're plumbers.
Landscapers.
Contractors.
Cleaners.
Handymen.
Local service providers.
Many operate on razor-thin margins.
They're also part of the small-business economy that helps keep communities—and the United States—running.
So while Nirav is discussing preserving our humanness in an AI-driven world, I'd like to know:
Who's listening to them?
Was someone sitting with Nirav when this monetization strategy was discussed asking:
“What does this mean for the small businesses that helped build engagement on our platform?”
Was there a focus group?
A beta?
Did anyone calculate the impact beyond Nextdoor's potential revenue?
Was there an effort to create buy-in?
Did anyone practice the very human behavior of listening before acting?
Maybe there was.
If so, please tell us about it.
Another Chapter in the White Paper on Rhetoric
That's increasingly what I find fascinating about studying Nextdoor.
The external messaging sounds terrific.
Community.
Connection.
Neighbors.
Humanness.
Then I compare those words with what I'm observing.
A shareholder waiting 72 days for detailed research he's repeatedly requested.
Small businesses questioning a new monetization model.
Corporate LinkedIn posts where comments are frequently unavailable.
Communication that, from my perspective, too often feels one-directional.
That's not an AI problem.
That's a human communication problem.
Nirav is right about one thing:
We cannot lose our humanness.
But perhaps the first place to demonstrate that philosophy isn't another podcast.
Maybe it's inside Nextdoor.
Listen.
Respond.
Show empathy.
Explain difficult decisions.
Engage with people who disagree.
Be accountable.
Otherwise, this becomes another fascinating chapter in my growing white paper on the difference between corporate rhetoric and corporate behavior.
And AI didn't create that problem.
Humans did.
Day 72.
Follow the continuing Nextdoor study at NielFlamm.com/blog.
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