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Can neighbour disputes be more than a zero-sum game?
Our first instinct may be to hit back at nuisance neighbours, but in doing so we stand to lose more than we gain.
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Problems arise when people view neighbourly disputes as a zero-sum game, where to give way is to give ground.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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Several years ago, my family had to confront a neighbour over his smoking habit. The second-hand cigarette smoke would drift into one of our bedrooms, fouling the air for hours.
Eventually, he agreed to light up only in his toilet or service yard, minimising the impact of second-hand smoke on our living areas.
