High Rise Living - The ethical elima of watching your 'neighbors'

[ChicagoChicago]

My wife and I live in Chicago, and as a result have neighbors that we can hear above and below us, and ones that we see all around us. A few of them have elected to save money on blinds...if you get my drift.

Specifically, we have good friends that live on the 38th floor of a building at State and Grand in Chicago, and they have refused to put up blinds and just ‘pretend’ that others respect their privacy. But is it even considered privacy when you don’t attempt to conceal yourself? I’ve seen many a telescope positioned in front of the plate glass windows that line high-rise buildings in Chicago, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t there for star gazing.

Personally, I have no problem with the idea of having a telescope there. After all, it is your view… Thoughts?

[Reverberation]

Good question. Is privacy invaded when there is no effort toward having it?

[Matty]

^ No. If you can't go through the very simple and basic act of putting up and using blinds, you can't expect any real privacy. People will look through your window. Besides, unless it's your bathroom or bedroom, is it really that big of an invasion, anyway? Who is going to want to stare as you watch TV in your living room, or sit down to dinner?

Sound insulation is another story.

[Saddle Man]

People will watch other people do just about anything. No matter boring. I watch my neighbors. Especially the ones that like to be naked all of the time.

[natelox]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047396/

[Chase Unperson]

I spent a year on the 59th floor on the north facing side of the Hanock Center and one year on the sw corner of the 46th floor. I had a telescope and binoculars and the most I saw was a fat guy watching TV with his shirt off. Kind of a bummer. I was always hoping to see someone have sex, or using blow or involved in a crime.

[10023]

This is pretty typical. What's the point of having big floor-to-ceiling glass windows if you keep the blinds closed all the time? Most people have blinds or curtains on the window facing their bed, if there's a building across the street, and bathrooms tend to be interior... who cares whether people can see into your living room / kitchen?

[seaskyfan]

Seems like a lot of folks are pretty consistent about closing the blinds/curtains when they first move in then slowly forget about it. Casually noticing what folks are up to seems fine - training a telescope on a specific unit seems kind of stalky.

[wrab]

(Dup)

[wrab]

A good flick to rent on the public-view nature of glass-wall living, if you can find it, is Jacques Tati's Play Time (1967). It's sort of a meditation on life amidst Modernism, among other things. Very funny - lots of visual gags.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...inalposter.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...apartments.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...screenshot.jpg

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And, of course, Rear Window, which exploits the creepier voyeuristic side of city living.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rearwindowposter.jpg

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Something that really hit me when I first moved to Chicago was how indifferent residents often seemed to drapes & shades, not just in the highrises, but at street level as well. More so than, say, NYC.

[the urban politician]

I live in a scenario where hundreds of units in 2 buildings can stare at me as long as they want (I wouldn't blame them, who wouldn't want to see my ripped 6-pack and pectorals all day long?).

Seriously though, it is one's own personal responsibility in this setting to protect his or her own privacy. Buy some blinds! Lord knows I'm not a peeping tom, but if some smoking hot babe was undressing in the window across the street I would most certainly glance in her direction.

[crooked rain]

Agree with the above - if you don't shut the blinds, people are going to notice what you are up to. Especially if they see skin. I've lived in a place that looked directly into my neighbour's before. You try not to look, but you can't help but notice what is going on once in a while.

If you're to cheap to buy blinds or curtains, you deserve to have your life be a public peep show.

[mhays]

To live like that takes either an exhibitionist or someone who truly doesn't care at all.

Many architects seem to think a lot of people are in one of those groups.

Personally, I don't feel relaxed if I think someone might be watching. My blinds are shut at least at night, and only open (turned flat) during the day, i.e. only on weekends.

[lawfin]

Either way I don't give a rats ass

[Aleks]

Mehh.. I don't really care if someone watches me... I don't live in a skyscraper. BUT.... When I do, I'll make sure to let everyone here know so they stare at me... Especially because most of the people who live in expensive apartments don't have better things to do...

Anyways, I used to visit my friend in downtown Seattle and once I saw 3 great things at the same time [in different apartments].

1) Three dildo's on someone's window.
2) A couple having sex.
3) A bag of marijuana.

Being naturally attracted to skyscrapers, I turned around and looked at the night skyline.

[SpongeG]

my friends who live in the west end - the highrise area downtown - all watch other buildings with and without binoculars

so much to see

one guy used to live in a building and there was a single guy in the building across from him who used to have sex with the windows open knowing he was being watched - even did it on the balcony a few times apparently

the fascination i suppose passes but its pretty human to wanna watch

[Samwill89]

This is a very, very, VERY interesting thread!

[photoLith]

Hey, if theres a sexy girl in the building across from me than I hope to crap she doesnt have blinds!

[Ardent]

Originally Posted by ChicagoChicago

My wife and I live in Chicago, and as a result have neighbors that we can hear above and below us, and ones that we see all around us. A few of them have elected to save money on blinds...if you get my drift.

Specifically, we have good friends that live on the 38th floor of a building at State and Grand in Chicago, and they have refused to put up blinds and just ‘pretend’ that others respect their privacy. But is it even considered privacy when you don’t attempt to conceal yourself? I’ve seen many a telescope positioned in front of the plate glass windows that line high-rise buildings in Chicago, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t there for star gazing.

Personally, I have no problem with the idea of having a telescope there. After all, it is your view… Thoughts?

Close your curtains/blinds and wear ear plugs for bed.

Unless of course you are a pervert, then leave your curtains/blinds wide open and buy a big telescope.

[Visualize]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Brooks

Watch this really good movie and then you might question leaving your blinds open.