Rarely do I find a book that I so instantly spoke to the heart as Zygmunt Bauman’s exemplary little book ‘Does Ethics have a Chance in a World of Consumers?’ (Available in Cardiff Library) In Chapter 1, he described a recognizable trend in modern cities of individuals developing and propogating ‘mixophobia’, or a fear of mixture, including cultures. Our homes in urban areas exist to protect inhabitants from the outside, and not to integrate people with their communities (Gumpert and Drucker). In cities across the world, segregation has followed, which further exacerbates the feeling of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Instead of greater safety, this leads to greater feelings of danger.
The central residential areas of Cardiff appear to visitors as a maze of identical terraced houses. Whilst many would find this monotonous, I see it as one of our greatest assets. Unlike most other cities, the architecture does not specify ‘ghetto’. Our least privileged areas look very similar to our most privileged areas, with small nuances to identify them. These nuances include more street litter, poor-quality front gardens and poorly-maintained windows and doors. When entering a nicer area, there is a feeling of mutual respect on the street. Or in other words, we could change the feel of a street in a few weeks. Looking after the space in front of your house shows respect for your neighbours and mutual respect brings trust.
So how to combat the root cause of mixophobia? Front gardening, or just sitting in your front garden or in front of your house will help. Meet people outside of your usual circle. As Bauman says, ‘Love your neighbours’. Recognise that your front door is a barrier, making you ‘unavailable’. Become a part of your community, and be available to engage with those around you.
Front Gardens of Cardiff 