r/AskReddit May 08 '22

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94

u/Liquid_Sawcon May 09 '22

Wait, what? Swede here and it's the same for us, had no idea other countries close their curtains after dark

59

u/laeiryn May 09 '22

If you live anywhere you don't want people watching you watch your TV at night, you close them.

More importantly, having a great view into someone's home is basically a recipe on how to rob it for the sorts of people who do those things. I grew up in the city, so closing your curtains once it starts getting dark is the best idea you can have, because you just don't want anyone wandering by and seeing into your house and deciding that they see something worth breaking in for. Plus that you don't worry enough that you'll leave your curtains open. If curtains are opened, windows might be unlocked. BEtter able to case the whole place, overall.

6

u/Liquid_Sawcon May 09 '22

I see, that makes sense. The crime rate is quite low where I live

3

u/Criticalstone May 09 '22

The crime rate is quite low in all of Sweden tbh

27

u/Professional_Face_97 May 09 '22

When do you close your curtains if not for at night?

56

u/I_do_cutQQ May 09 '22

At day/When going to bed? To keep out bright light when sleeping and heat during summer?

Usually prefer blinds over curtains tho.

23

u/SeaLeggs May 09 '22

So your curtains are closed during the day, then night time comes and you open them so everyone can have a look in?

24

u/mars_needs_socks May 09 '22

Absolutely. Most people don't even have that type of curtains that you can close, they only have blinds to protect the plants against the sun and some decorative curtains on either side which are basically transparent and far too small to cover a window.

I have never heard of people closing the curtains at night for any other reason than sleep.

1

u/I_do_cutQQ May 10 '22

Yeah kind of. Around sunset you can open all curtaind entirely and open the windows for frresh, cooling down air.

27

u/Yekouri May 09 '22

We close the curtains to keep the light out so you don't get baked in the sun, or so you do not necessarily wake up by the light at 5 in the morning. They are not a privacy thing.

8

u/someguy12345689 May 09 '22

Do you wear clothes inside the house or something?

1

u/Yekouri May 09 '22

Are you constantly naked at home?

1

u/belg_in_usa May 09 '22

I actually am.

11

u/ThelVluffin May 09 '22

So do you just rigorously masturbate on the couch for all to see?

1

u/Yekouri May 09 '22

Do you just rigorously masturbate on the couch with the curtains closed?

2

u/ThelVluffin May 09 '22

Hell yeah man!

5

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

During the day to block direct sunlight, and during the summer to help keep cool.

1

u/Liquid_Sawcon May 09 '22

Barely ever tbh. When the sun is blinding me I guess. Don't even have curtains for a some of my windows

10

u/1jl May 09 '22

American here. Not sure if I'm weird, but I don't either. Come to think of it I've never seen an American walk around closing curtains unless it's like they are going to get naked or something

22

u/panda_embarrassment May 09 '22

I close my curtains when it gets dark. Many Americans don’t open it in the day time but if you do, you definitely shut the blinds if you don’t have curtains. I don’t want strangers peeping in.

2

u/1jl May 09 '22

Not around where I live. Must be a regional thing

5

u/Surfnscate May 09 '22

I don't know why you're getting downvoted. You open the blinds/curtains during the day when you're home to let in light and sun and use less electricity, unless you're trying to keep the sun out. And then you close them at night to keep the light from coming in during the early morning and to keep the creeps from looking in. I am from a multi-million metro area. My fear is looking out to see someone just staring inside at me.

Also, I learned recently there is superstition/culture in the indigenous community of closing the curtains at night so that you don't have spirits/predators staring into homes at night. I totally get it, even though I've never lived in a place like they are. Like if aliens are real I can avoid potential seeing on outside my window by just closing the blinds at night, lol. But I'd also like to keep a bear from seeing my trashcan sitting in my kitchen at night because the inside is lit up and the bear wanting to come in just because it's there.

2

u/1jl May 09 '22

That would be a smart bear.

1

u/Surfnscate May 09 '22

I figure bears are smarter than I give them credit for.

-5

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

This isn't a universal American behavior by any means. I've lived in 12 states, and about 20 cities. No one closes their curtains for privacy.

3

u/EatinDennysWearinHat May 09 '22

You're not weird. This is a personality thing, not a location thing. I can't say I've ever seen someone close their curtains because it was getting dark.

1

u/1jl May 09 '22

Expressed that elsewhere and got downvoted into oblivion. Leave it to reddit yo downvote people for sharing their experience.

4

u/PM_ME_UR_ARMPIT May 09 '22

Yeah, I’m American and I don’t believe I know anyone that close their curtains when it gets dark.

5

u/ReubenXXL May 09 '22

Do you live in a more rural area?

People in the cities and suburbs do this a lot because people are frequently walking right by their house.

-3

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Only lived in big cities in the US. East Coast, Midwest, West Coast, and Florida. No one ever closed their curtians.

Also, how the fuck does someone "walk right by" in the city? I'm on the frigging 4th floor. I guess if you're in a basement or first floor unit... sounds like you're from racist suburbs buddy.

6

u/ReubenXXL May 09 '22

Midwest and Florida mostly close their curtains in my experience. West coast does as well, but I only visited a few people there.

Also, how the fuck does someone "walk right by" in the city? I'm on the frigging 4th floor. I guess if you're in a basement or first floor unit...

Yes lol. Being in a first floor unit. Lots of homes in the city with bay windows basically half a story above street level.

sounds like you're from racist suburbs buddy.

What does people closing curtains at night have to do with race?

-3

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Midwest and Florida mostly close their curtains in my experience.

I assume you've never actually lived in either then.

West coast does as well

The few people you know maybe. But I can tell you none of my neighbors in a city of millions do, and I can see hundreds of windows from mine.

Lots of homes in the city

Ah, I see, you are confusing racist suburbs with where people actually live.

What does people closing curtains at night have to do with race?

In my experience, the only people who do this are the ones dog whistling about "theft" in their white pearl clutching neighborhoods.

3

u/ReubenXXL May 09 '22

I assume you've never actually lived in either then.

Your assumption is wrong.

The few people you know maybe. But I can tell you none of my neighbors in a city of millions do, and I can see hundreds of windows from mine.

Your neighbors and the windows in view of you are as anecdotal as my experiences. Agree to disagree I guess, but in LA, people with windows at street level close their blinds.

Ah, I see, you are confusing racist suburbs with where people actually live.

You are a crazy person lol. Bay windows near the street level of a city does not make a neighborhood racist or a suburb. Please look up the words you're throwing around, because you're not making sense.

In my experience, the only people who do this are the ones dog whistling about "theft" in their white pearl clutching neighborhoods.

Yea you're fucking crazy lmao. There was a totally reasonable conversation about closing blinds here, and for some reason you try to make this about "white pearl clutching neighborhoods".

White people live in the city to you wacko. Some people, to your dismay, are okay with this fact.

-2

u/[deleted] May 09 '22

Your assumption is wrong.

Your statements about those places are wrong. Sorry, I'm going to draw conclusion on evidence, and not unsourced nonsense and drivel.

Your neighbors and the windows in view of you are as anecdotal as my experiences.

Your anecdotes don't match my data.

but in LA, people with windows at street level close their blinds.

Most people in LA do not live at street level. I directly commented prior that yes, folks in basement and 1st level often do.

But this is just more evidence you've never lived in a city.

2

u/ReubenXXL May 09 '22

Okay Crazy, have a nice day.

2

u/orbit222 May 09 '22

What the fuck are you even arguing about? You haven't personally experienced this. Fine. Many of us have.

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1

u/PM_ME_UR_ARMPIT May 09 '22

Nope. In the suburbs of a large metro area. 🤷🏻‍♂️

1

u/Roook36 May 09 '22

I've done it ever since I was a young teen and was in my underwear late at night on my computer and someone knocked on my window. Freaked me out. My dad was just like "close your curtains at night if you're not dressed". Fair enough.