The Silent Referral

How the death of trust between neighbors is building the empire of the nameless.

We once moved in a world of handshakes and glances. A roofer would point to your gutters and say, “You know, my cousin does that work. He’s honest.” A plumber, finishing under your sink, would nod toward the wall. “That drywall’s soft. Let me give you a name.” It was a quiet economy of trust, where reputation was a currency passed between neighbors.

That…