I've lived in the London for pretty much all my life and can think of no other place on Earth than this, as my home. But man, I gotta admit that we as a nation, do have some very peculiar opinions concerning liberalism and humanitarian freedom, which only seem to be getting worse. Take, for example, the newest nonsensical drivel that's making the rounds throughout news stations across the country.
This couple, down in a district of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, has been having a few issues with the neighbours. Apparently, they get dressed in the mornings with the blinds open and inadvertently expose themselves to whoever so decides to peer in through their window. A couple days ago, they received a letter through the front door from another couple who resides opposite their backyard, rudely suggesting that they close their shutters before getting dressed so as not to offend the rest of the world outside. But hang on a minute, they're getting dressed "in their own home"! Where's the problem? Just mind your business and don't look into other people's property, goddamnit! Check out the original news article here. Still, it managed to spark a media frenzy as this weeks hotly debated subject.
I just don't get it. I mean, it's common knowledge that the underlying culture within these great lands, is one of conservatism and being strictly conformist in nature, but this is getting beyond a joke. The papers sensationalize these ridiculous stories purely for ratings, of course, but I also live in a neighborhood where there is this unspoken communal bylaw of which "everyone must act accordingly to a certain set of public standards". Not to say that myself or people around me want to traipse around in the nude all day long, but it's just some residents unnecessarily intrusive manner that I've got a problem with.
Like just the other day. The sun is out and my neighbour a few doors down, is blasting his music in his garden whilst repairing a bike or something. OK, so it was 3pm in the afternoon and he's having fun in his garden. Soon after, I got a text from the couple living next door to me. They had only moved into the area for about a year or so thus were quite taken aback by this newfound and unexpected disturbance. The text read:
"Sorry to bother you, but I'm sure you can hear the racket going on outside. We're trying to catch an afternoon nap and are finding it impossible to sleep. What do you think we can do about stopping this?"
What the hell? We? Just because "she" couldn't get "her" damn sleep, everybody else should bend to their royal will and contribute to destroying their own neighbourly relations? Maybe it was simply the fact that it was reggae that got her all in a fluster. Whatever. I couldn't care less. Well, after a couple minutes thought, I found a suitable reply.
"Hi there. Hope you're well and sorry for your inconvenience. To be honest, I think it'd be best if we let the situation be. Reason being, I have it on good authority that he was involved in a recent altercation with a local that landed that individual in hospital. And, with us being neighbours and all, would hate for any detrimental problems to come our way. Don't worry though, the sun will go down soon and the music should stop soon enough. Ta-ta, now."
Needless to say, I didn't get a response. And neither party either side were none the wiser. I hear stories like these on a regular basis now and I'm, quite frankly, sick of it. Opinionated people telling others how to live their lives when, nine times of out ten, they themselves are the perpetrators of creating extraneous problems.
I hope the situation changes for the better and our community at large find it in their hearts to simply let others do as they please, within the boundaries of social public acceptability, of course. But I'm not gonna hold my breath for that to happen anytime soon.
