Comment by jopsen
7 hours ago
You have the neighbors you have, and if you want to live in a "free country" then you have to accept that, that street goes both ways.
That doesn't mean, you can't invite your neighbors over pizza or coffee, be friendly and one day mention that you think X, Y or Z and you wouldn't mind helping, and if they they aren't interested you'll totally respect that.
Don't be a Karen. But being considerate the old school way can go far. The rest you just have to live with :)
Not sure why you're replying to me. But mostly, sounds like you're agreeing with me!
Neighbors can and do do things that impinge on your life. Such as, playing loud music when you’re trying to sleep
(I have nothing to add to the HOA discussion, just saying that “live and let live” has limits)
When you say "live and let live" it seems impersonal or mutually exclusive. Like "they do their thing, you do yours, never the twain shall meet".
I think GP is advocating exercising social skills rather than "live and let live" without interaction between you.
Get to know each other - BBQ or similar. Sure, you find out or confirm you hate some of their views/hobbies. But it also means you develop human empathy and usually find things you do agree on.
Maybe you hate their loud car. But you both hate the climbing vine on the fenceline and could spend a saturday morning fixing that together.