Living with low expectations?

[Janx]

What does my ethnicity have do with the stereotype you mentioned?

Seems like rednecks to me.

We're talking about the guy. Not you. I have no idea of your ethnicity, and it matters not to the discussion of my white trash neighbor.

I was drawing a picture of what I percieve based on the guy. You percieve a redneck. If he thinks he's "better than this neighborhood" and the neighborhood's perception of him is "he belongs in the trailerpark dealing meth" than that's the the image he is protraying. It doesn't matter what he really is.

Appearances are relative. I think an uncut lawn gives a more rural aspect that suburbia desperately needs. I'm not sure why other people should have a say on the appearance of my private property or what I store on/in it as long as it does not pause any danger.

If you lived on a 10 acre tract, what happens on your property pretty much is your business.

If you live in a neighborhood (with deed restrictions on these kinds of things no less), than what you do in your front yard DOES impact other people.

That trailer almost got a kid hit, because somebody couldn't see around it when it was parked on the street. My other neighbor got his side mirror whacked off because he'd parked on the street, the trailer got parked on the opposite side, and an idiot drove too fast between them.

This is a big boxy trailer. About the maximum size a pickup can probably handle fully loaded.

Is it all the trailer's fault? Of course not. Is it a good idea to park something like that in a neighborhood on narrower streets? Not so much. Is it a good idea to park it on the lawn, given that doing so pretty much means running over curbs (that he doesn't own) and violating someone else's property?

The guy is a renter. He's got no rights to do any of this compared to anybody else in the neighborhood. And he is disrespecting the rules and social norms of the neighborghood.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Appearances are relative. I think an uncut lawn gives a more rural aspect that suburbia desperately needs. I'm not sure why other people should have a say on the appearance of my private property or what I store on/in it as long as it does not pause any danger.

The way your home looks affects the property value of your home and the property values of the homes around you.

 

[Kramodlog]

The way your home looks affects the property value of your home and the property values of the homes around you.

Yeah, but that doesn't pose any danger to anyone's health.

 

[Kramodlog]

We're talking about the guy. Not you. I have no idea of your ethnicity, and it matters not to the discussion of my white trash neighbor.

You're the one who mentioned ethnicity, not me.

I was drawing a picture of what I percieve based on the guy. You percieve a redneck. If he thinks he's "better than this neighborhood" and the neighborhood's perception of him is "he belongs in the trailerpark dealing meth" than that's the the image he is protraying.

Don't judge a book by his cover. Besides, you also seem to have a rather negative opinion of your neighborhood.

If you lived on a 10 acre tract, what happens on your property pretty much is your business.

You still can have neighbors. Why is it suddenly different?

If you live in a neighborhood (with deed restrictions on these kinds of things no less), than what you do in your front yard DOES impact other people.

A lot of stuff impacts other people, but aside from dangerous behavior/material, why should we force people to behave in a certain way? Especially when it comes to appreance? The neighbor his missing some teeth? Why not force him to go to the dentist cause his appearence is naughty? Where do you draw the line?

That trailer almost got a kid hit, because somebody couldn't see around it when it was parked on the street. My other neighbor got his side mirror whacked off because he'd parked on the street, the trailer got parked on the opposite side, and an idiot drove too fast between them.

Seems the problem is how people drive in a residential area.

The guy is a renter. He's got no rights to do any of this compared to anybody else in the neighborhood.

What rights are those?

And he is disrespecting the rules and social norms of the neighborghood.

Meh, social norms just limit the freedom of individuals for arbitrary reasons. They are often used to justify bullying and intmidation of people who commit the crime of being different. Now it's a redneck, later it's a gay couple or a Muslim family...

 

[Lwaxy]

If I wouldn't employ house cleaners every few weeks, our place would look bad, too - health issues often prevent me from doing things so simple as sorting in the dish washer. And when I'm stressed I can't even think of cleaning. Has little to do with low expectations - they seem to have been ok at your last inspection.

My guess is the family issues those people had caused them to not care - pretty much the house would look like they feel inside, and when the place you live in is bad, you feel even worse. Well, at least I feel worse when the house is messy.

 

[Elf Witch]

I can understand the level of music, but the lawn is really none of your business. Cut or uncut, it really has no impact on your quality life.

And rap music = drug dealer? That kind of stereotype, really?

Actually an uncut unkempt yard does have an impact on my life if it brings down property values and makes me lose money selling my home or makes it hard to sell my home. Also if you don't take care of your lawn the weeds and other crap that grows instead of the grass does not respect your property line and stay there you have now made me have to do more work to maintain mine. The same when you let your trees grow over my property to the point that they are effecting my fence and my roof.

I don't care what color you paint your home or if you pull up all the sod and replace it with rocks as long as you maintain your property to rules of the neighborhood and don't impact me with your lazy crap.

Stereotypes exist for a reason and in the real world you get judged by how you maintain yourself. I am constantly being told I don't look like your typical food stamp recipient who shops at Walmart. That is because I make an effort. I may not have expensive clothes but they fit me and I never wear never bedroom slippers to the store. And Janx described this guy as the best stereotype he knew he painted a very good visual picture of the guy.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Yeah, but that doesn't pose any danger to anyone's health.

Doesn't matter. You're affecting someone else.

 

[Elf Witch]

What rights are those? Meh, social norms just limit the freedom of individuals for arbitrary reasons. They are often used to justify bullying and intimidation of people who commit the crime of being different. Now it's a redneck, later it's a gay couple or a Muslim family...

That is certainly how the extreme of this could work. The other extreme is the person who believes personal freedom trumps everything else and uses it as an excuse to be a inconsiderate jerk who does not grasp the concept that their rights end where someone else start.

 

[Umbran]

Meh, social norms just limit the freedom of individuals for arbitrary reasons.

Sometimes, the reason seems arbitrary to us. But that doesn't mean the norm doesn't (or didn't) serve some very good purpose.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Is is: "I don't care; it's not my property=it's not my problem; I just live here"?
Is it "This is what I'm used to, so that's what I expect, even if someone shows me better"?
Is it "I'm not happy unless I can see cooking grease on all the walls"?
Is it "I don't value my self, so I deserve to live in muck"?
Is it "I don't have a problem with this."?

Something else?

Thoughts?
Opinions?

While I do share your concern/disgust about the situation, I wouldn't want to pass judgement on the tenants. I'd assume that their behaviour is a symptom rather than a cause. Have you ever seen the home of some compulsive hoarder or the people who support dozens or hundreds of animals in their home? While it's absolutely disgusting to seem such a thing, these people are sick and need support and (probably) treatment.

Of course, you have to mind your own interest and get the problem solved, and you have my full support doing so, but may be these people just can't be judged using your/our frame of reference.

Anyway, best of luck to get this situation solved to your satisfaction!