my general position on public nuisance is "you should do your best not to irritate or inconvenience other people unless there's a good reason" and then litigate the "good reason" on a case by case basis. i think that's the best anyone can do. the definition of "good reason" varies wildly depending on context, your background, culture generally, what data you have as a participant or a bystander, and local laws, and all three of these things are relevant factors
for example it really does lower my level of reactive, irritable stress with my neighbors to know their names and general schedules. i don't know why but it really does bother you less if Kyle Upstairs is having a party a little too late and you can hear Bulletproof through the ceiling, as opposed to if you're on year three of living underneath some anonymous fuckhead you want to kill. it's like oh Kyle's cousin is visiting and they're just chilling out maybe they lost track of the time. this makes all the difference. as usual the best advice is to form community with the people around you no matter what, even if you are entirely self-interested it will benefit you in the end. well that's all I got
I like to think about "in what situation would I be doing the thing they're doing?". People on the phone in the train, or loud outside, or anything really. And most often I come to the conclusion that I'm currently being a grumpy buzzkill who had a bad day and is taking it out on someone having fun. Me being grumpy shouldn't disqualify others from having fun. Usually it helps snapping me out of being a grouch as well.
this is the healthiest and most self-perceptive reblog ive ever seen on tumblr and i can feel it changing me for the better
