What does it mean to solve noise problems using "deterrence"?

What does it mean to solve noise problems using "deterrence"?

Seeing this title, some people will probably think I'm just rambling and writing useless stuff. There's no easy way to solve neighborhood noise; it boils down to one word...

This may seem like a bold and "heroic" approach, but it's not the most rational, at least not chivalrous enough, and it doesn't earn the applause and praise of those in the martial arts world. To make any action more reasonable, you at least need to understand what "deterrence" means.

When it comes to "deterrence," many people may think of Luo Ji, the Swordholder in Liu Cixin's "The Dark Forest of the Three-Body Problem."

To prevent the Trisolarans from attacking Earth, Luo Ji used the Cradle System button in his possession as leverage, forcing the Trisolarans to refrain from colonizing Earth. The Cradle System's function is: once the button is pressed, the Cradle System activates, broadcasting the coordinates of Earth and the Trisolarans to the universe. In the Dark Forest, no one can survive.

According to the Trisolarans' calculations, Luo Ji's deterrent power reached 90%, but all of this deterrent power completely disappeared after the Swordholder Cheng Xin was replaced. The Trisolarans launched a massive attack on Earth, and the Water Droplet wreaked havoc in all directions of the solar system, destroying humanity's proud interstellar fleet with minimal effort...

Therefore, in the Three-Body world, the true deterrent force is not the Cradle System, but the Swordholder. The Cradle System is merely a tool of the Swordholder. (You can also use the military strength of each nation as an analogy.)

Having said that, let's discuss how to use "deterrence" to solve the noise problem.

The biggest similarity between Luo Ji and Cheng Xin is solely their control over the Cradle System. To leverage deterrence, we must possess two things:

First: Deterrence tools; (granted by the state)

Second: Convince the other party that you actually know how to use the tool. (Assign this yourself)

First: Deterrence tools

In noise disputes, what tools can serve as a deterrent? I mainly divide them into three categories:

1. Deterrence by public power

2. Reputation deterrence

(The above is in order of use. Note: All use is within the scope of the law.)

• Deterrence of public power

It's the first resort. It's like when you're in school and your classmate hits you; your teachers and parents all tell you to talk to the teacher first. Whether it works or not is another matter, but it's the right step. The public power here mainly includes:

① Relevant departments, such as property management, owners' committee, police, urban management department, transportation department, environmental protection bureau and all other noise control departments;

②Study relevant noise regulations on your own.

Of these two methods, the self-study of relevant noise laws should be prioritized for use by relevant departments to avoid further trouble. I consider this method the most important of all deterrents. Its effect is similar to a lawyer in a TV drama casually reciting relevant legal provisions when facing a rogue, instantly silencing him. A real-world example of this can be found in the case of the Hangzhou uncle:

A Hangzhou homeowner taught himself noise laws, leaving the property management and urban management officials speechless!

To illustrate this more clearly, let's take an example:

Suppose you have a noisy neighbor

Question:

My neighbor sells alcohol, and it's constantly making a racket. It's right next to my bedroom, separated by only one wall. They have a kitchen, but they cut vegetables right above my head. Their car is parked outside my window every day, delivering alcohol back and forth multiple times a day. I've talked to them twice, and they get very irritable and yell at me, acting like they're the victim. I told them it was really noisy, and they only talked about the noise before 6 AM and after 10 PM, but the noise from their house during the day is indeed very loud and frequent, seriously affecting my life. I have to wear earplugs every day. Every time I go to them, they say, "Go ahead and call the police, go find whoever you want." But commercial use isn't allowed in residential buildings, especially since they're operating without a license. I'm speechless and don't know what to do. They're so brazen.

Answer: When faced with such a problem, the first thing we need to do is to analyze the situation and identify the laws that the other party may have violated:

• Operating without a license
• Residential building used for commercial purposes
• noise pollution

Then, based on these points, find the relevant laws:

• Penalties for operating without a license: According to Article 14 of the "Measures for Investigating and Banning Unlicensed Business Operations", unlicensed business operations shall be banned by the Administration for Industry and Commerce in accordance with the law, and illegal gains shall be confiscated.
• Those who violate criminal law shall be held criminally liable in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Law concerning crimes of illegal business operations, major liability accidents, major work safety accidents, accidents involving dangerous goods, or other crimes.
• If the offense does not warrant criminal punishment, a fine of up to 20,000 yuan shall be imposed.
• Those who engage in unlicensed business operations on a large scale and cause serious social harm shall be fined between 20,000 and 200,000 yuan.
• If unlicensed business operations endanger human health, pose significant safety hazards, threaten public safety, or damage environmental resources, the tools, equipment, raw materials, products (commodities), and other property specifically used for such unlicensed operations shall be confiscated, and a fine of between 50,000 and 500,000 yuan shall be imposed. Where laws and regulations stipulate otherwise regarding penalties for unlicensed business operations, those provisions shall prevail.
• Penalties for converting residential buildings into commercial use: According to Article 77 of the Property Law, owners shall not violate laws, regulations, and management rules by converting residential properties into commercial premises. In addition to complying with laws, regulations, and management rules, owners who wish to convert residential properties into commercial premises must obtain the consent of other owners with vested interests.
• Noise pollution: Article 81. Anyone who violates this law by committing any of the following acts shall be ordered to rectify the situation by the department designated by the local people's government and shall be fined between 5,000 and 50,000 yuan; if the rectification is refused, a fine of between 50,000 and 200,000 yuan shall be imposed, and the business may be ordered to cease operations upon approval by the people's government with the power of approval:
• (a) Exceeding noise emission standards for public life;
• (ii) Using loudspeakers or other methods that continuously and repeatedly emit high noise levels for advertising in commercial activities.
• (iii) Noise pollution caused by failure to take effective measures to address other noise generated during business operations.

If all three of the above regulations apply, in addition to confiscating all his products, he will also have to pay an additional fine of 20,000 to 500,000 yuan. This fine is the higher end of the range, as fines are the most effective deterrent in the initial stages. The same logic applies to administrative penalties. Knowing the relevant laws will give you confidence when you report to the police or contact the relevant departments, and your righteous indignation will force public authorities to side with you.

• Defamation

Different people have different weaknesses. Some fear the control of public power, while others value their reputation above all else. If public power is no longer sufficient to intimidate them, this can be considered. Specifically, this can be done through various channels such as homeowner groups, media outlets, and short videos to widely publicize the issue. The intention should be to expose the facts and the misconduct, but it is crucial not to fabricate facts or expose for the sake of exposure; otherwise, you will bear relevant legal responsibility. Note that these are tools for solving a problem; before using them, you must first let the other party know that you have these tools.

Second: Make the other party believe that you really know how to activate the tool.

To gain the other party's trust, one must first know how to become a "Logic" with strong deterrent power, rather than a "Cheng Xin" with zero deterrent power.

Luo Ji's strength lies in his ability to see through human nature and clearly understand his own nature; Cheng Xin's biggest mistake is her inability to see herself clearly and her excessive self-righteousness. (Of course, there are many other interpretations, but here we will only explain it to meet our needs.) So what does it mean to see through human nature and understand one's own nature?

To become a charismatic person, we must first understand who the other person is, their weaknesses, and what they fear. Most importantly, we must cultivate a psychological image of ourselves that inspires fear. Since this approach varies depending on individual personality and character, it cannot be expected to work for everyone. Therefore, here are some concrete steps that everyone can try: clearly communicate the charismatic tools you possess.

In the case above, before actually using deterrence, we should clearly inform the other party of the relevant laws and the legal responsibilities they may bear, one by one, in front of them.

Scenario Assumptions

Question: Same as above

The following is a hypothetical answer:

Dear neighbor, I know you're not afraid of the police or me, but I hope you can listen to what I have to say first before you think about what to do, okay?

You're not afraid of me calling the police because you probably don't know what specific penalties you'll face if I do. I went to the trouble of consulting with professionals on your behalf, and they said you've violated at least three laws.

(Then repeat what was said above.)

If I were to call the police on these three grounds and you refused to cooperate, it would be enough to wipe out all the money you've earned over the years, and you might even have to spend a few days in jail. So, why bother? I just want a quiet living space. If we both compromise, we can still be neighbors. It's a win-win solution, don't you think?

*This is just a case study; please consider it critically.

The above is my interpretation of "deterrence tools." It may not be suitable for everyone, but it's worth a try because it's the lowest-cost tool. It won't cause any real harm to anyone; it leverages human weaknesses and the deterrent power of the law. If you really don't want to use it, then build a soundproof room!