Neighbors who never close their windows?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I am a second generation immigrant but My family who was first generation always used blinds or window coverings but we have neighbors who are first generation and they never cover their windows. At night you can clearly see them looking out the windows or what they are doing. So all day their windows are always open without covers. I don't think I have seen any other neighbors that are this way and the only reason why it's weird to me is because I can catch them looking out their window and feel their gaze. Weird or no?

You mean window treatments like curtains or blinds?! For privacy or keep in the heat?!

Maybe they have amazing insulated windows? Or like peeping Toms? Or are doing a big remodel this spring so don’t want to buy $20,000 of blinds and throw them out?

[Anonymous]

Sounds cultural and they aren’t picking up on it.

Glass houses of course will have people looking in, inadvertently or deliberately.

Maybe they’re showing off. Look, we made it! Go America!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds cultural and they aren’t picking up on it.

Glass houses of course will have people looking in, inadvertently or deliberately.

Maybe they’re showing off. Look, we made it! Go America!

Bingo! And they keep windows open and stare to draw attention. I guess in the town they're from that is common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear DCUM,

I spent all evening staring at my neighbor's windows. Why do they keep looking at me?

Pretty much.

Wave and carry on.

[Anonymous]

In many American homes the front of the house is silly stuff like a parlor room or dining room or home office. So no one’s there much on a regular basis.

The kitchen and living room or family room is in the back or one side entirely.

Are you looking in to their houses side rooms or back yard windows?

[Anonymous]

I assume you mean curtains? Not windows

[Anonymous]

I think it's funny that you're watching them through your windows and think it's weird that they come to the window and watch you right back. Maybe just keep on walking your dog and don't stop and stare into their house as often?

I also don't have blinds on our front windows, I like the view and the house feels claustrophobic with the windows covered. So maybe you can see us sitting at the dinner table when you walk past. I don't particularly care. I would probably care if you stood in front of our house and stared at us for a while though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I assume you mean curtains? Not windows

Yeah what an ESOL moment.
Curious where Op even lives and what heritage people they are and they cited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's funny that you're watching them through your windows and think it's weird that they come to the window and watch you right back. Maybe just keep on walking your dog and don't stop and stare into their house as often?

I also don't have blinds on our front windows, I like the view and the house feels claustrophobic with the windows covered. So maybe you can see us sitting at the dinner table when you walk past. I don't particularly care. I would probably care if you stood in front of our house and stared at us for a while though.

I didn't say just the front windows. All the windows of the house and I don't care for staring. I will repeat again since you like to argue that I felt their gaze on me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they European?

Our European guests don’t understand central air or heat, why there are screens, etc. And always crack open windows when sleeping.

Where they live there are apparently less bugs, no screens and no AC so windows it is!

This perhaps. I’m a child of immigrants and spent a lot of my youth in Europe. I distinctly remember walking down a street in Gröningen and all the houses had their main rooms with picture windows right by the sidewalks, none with curtains or blinds. You would pass by within a metre of people having dinner, reading a book in an armchair, watching tv, etc and completely ignoring the foot traffic outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does this have to do with immigration exactly?

Because they stare. It seems like my neighbors spend hours looking at the windows watching what we do. If we go outside, they are at the windows staring. If we are inside, they will stare from their window in to ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does this have to do with immigration exactly?

Because they stare. It seems like my neighbors spend hours looking at the windows watching what we do. If we go outside, they are at the windows staring. If we are inside, they will stare from their window in to ours.

Again, what does that have to do with immigration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear DCUM,

I spent all evening staring at my neighbor's windows. Why do they keep looking at me?

This isn't something to joke about. A facet of this appears to be the very real and serious issue of white-gaze. Surprised no one has brought that up here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear DCUM,

I spent all evening staring at my neighbor's windows. Why do they keep looking at me?

This isn't something to joke about. A facet of this appears to be the very real and serious issue of white-gaze. Surprised no one has brought that up here.

Indeed


https://medium.com/chocolate-nuisance/the-tragedy-of-our-triumph-241a6fd87464

[Anonymous]

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2024/01/uncovered-windows-curtains-wealthy-neighborhoods/677204/
(Access to this article is behinds a pay wall.)
It's about why rich people don't cover their windows. Walk around the West Village or the UES or Brooklyn Heights in NYC. It's a social class thing. We used to do this until my husband got a high level security clearance and risky job with the government. It's to show off your good taste. Silly, but we did it.