It turns out that in apartments, there are indeed things that seem small, but turn out to be not small. Living in an apartment is living in a space with a very high community spirit. Each apartment is a private space, but the sound, smell of food, and living habits are very easy to spread to the corridors, elevators and surrounding apartments.
In some high-end apartments, the air conditioning system runs all day to cool the corridor. Many houses immediately take advantage of this to... save money: Open the door wide, even plug in fans to let cool air from the corridor overflow into the house. Clearly, a family regularly opening the apartment door all day is not just about "my house, I like it", but also directly related to the feelings and privacy of neighbors.
Many people open the door because they want the house to be more airy, less stuffy, especially for apartments that lack air or have airy corridors. That desire can be understood. But if opening the door leads to talking sounds, TV sounds, children playing sounds, the smell of braised fish, fried fish, cigarette smoke or private living scenes overflowing into the common space, then the comfort of one house has become a nuisance for many other houses.
Apartment buildings are not like landed houses. Living in private houses, opening the door may be a normal habit. But in apartment buildings, the corridor is a common space, where all residents move around. No one wants to have to listen to the whole story of someone else's family every time they step into an apartment, smell the pungent smell of food, or feel that their private life is placed within the sights of neighbors.
Opening the door for ventilation is not wrong, but opening the door all day regardless of noise, odor and privacy of others is not subtle. Civilized people not only keep their apartment clean, but also know how to maintain comfort for the common space.
The appropriate response is to open the door for a short time when ventilation is needed, limit opening the door when cooking, when the house is crowded with people talking, when turning on a large TV or private activities. The building management board should also have clear recommendations on maintaining order, controlling odors and ensuring that the corridor is a truly common space.
Living in an apartment requires each person to be a little less convenient to maintain common harmony. Sometimes, civilization starts from a very small thing: Knowing how to close the door of your apartment.
