I know my neighbors well enough. We check each other's mail when they're away and will help out in other ways.
But I have lots of friends to keep up with outside of my neighborhood -- people I have a lot in common with -- my neighbors, not so much. If they wanted to talk with me each time I saw them coming or going, I would likely start actively avoiding them so I could get on my way.
I just remembered another detail. They have grass in their front yard. It is cut, but a service has never come by and cut it and, of course, we’ve never seen them cut it. But we don’t hear any sounds in the dead of night of it being cut and it doesn’t look like it was cut with a scythe. Frankly, it’s a mystery.
i'm replying because the fact you mention "i know my neighbors well enough" is already the ideal that OP is speaking on. in todays world you can literally not acknowledge your neighbor's existence in all directions and get along 100% just fine. i mean, "borrowing sugar" is why instacart exists!
no no no, you're already doing lovely and agreeing with OP that neighbors, as real human people to honor as existing, is a good thing.