entitlement

29 Oct 2008

I am sure this is just going to wind up as another checkbox next to the “chris is an asshole” column in most people’s book, but I have something to rant about.

So, our new office is in Germantown, which, if you’ve ever been here, is largely very expensive historic houses without driveways or garages – hence for a lot of the neighborhoods, it’s mostly street parking. It’s also mixed zoning, so you have a lot of houses, apartment complexes, condoes, businesses and restaurants.

This week, I caught wind of people in our office scolding/reminding people about parking in a certain spot. I figured it was a fire lane, or a handicapped spot or something. But I asked, and apparently a woman that lives a few doors down with her husband and kids had complained about us parking in front of her house. I guess because it’s inconvenient for her to have to walk a few cars away. Maybe there’s more to the story, and I’ll happily rescind any judgement I’m about to spew forth if that’s the case. But seriously, folks? This is the weird sort of entitlement that drives me nuts.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t have any problem being a good neighbor and not parking in front of her place as a favor. But for her to actually complain about it? It’s a full neighborhood and parking can be limited at times. If you want a convenient type house for your nuclear family where you can park right next to your house… move to a suburb. An urban historic neighborhood is probably not right for you. Germantown is a half-mil to $1mil house neighborhood, you can afford something in a neighborhood with driveways, I’m sure. Why would you ever move to a mixed-zone historic overlay neighborhood and then have the gall to complain about people parking on a public street in front of your house?

It reminds me of this guy I met a couple of months ago at a photography meetup. He asked where I lived and I pointed across the river and said “there”. He said he had just moved to 4th avenue in a condo downtown, as well. “Welcome to the neighborhood, how are you liking it so far?” I asked. “Not at all, actually,” was his reply – and he goes on to tell me how hard it is with his 7 year old daughter, especially with how much noise and foul language she is subjected to, and how she has to see all those homeless people, they should really do something about that, etc etc. I kinda stared at him and turned to my friend Christy (who is well-versed in my opinions about people downtown and the homeless) and basically did everything I could not to burst out laughing. Seriously, dude, you move downtown on 4th avenue with your 7 year old daughter and then complain about noise and hearing people swear? Have you … ever been to a big city before? Are you familiar with these thing scalled “people” that “exist” in them?

What planet are these people from that they feel compelled to move to an environment with very clear pros and cons, and then feel entitled to complain and try to change it to suit them, as if they’re the only person in the world?

I bitch all the time about harleys and club noise downtown, but I’d never be so stupid as to try to change it. I moved downtown. I’m not an idiot. I have ranted about this before regarding the smoking ban.

Feel free to call me an asshole in the comments below.