Thread: Complaining People

I noticed something that I am sure others have, that people today complain a lot more than they used to.

We are living in the safest time with the most options, freedoms, etc. and yet so many people are unhappy. I noticed a big portion of the complaints can be seen on social media. A lot of people basically use that as a platform to complain and argue with others. I notice it offline too. Most people in my family are super negative about everything.

Why do you think so many people complain in excess today? I don't remember it being this bad just 10 years ago.

People always complained. It's not a recent phenomenon. It only seems that way because the internet just makes it more visible. It's just human nature to point out bad things more often than they do the good. I think the fact that we have it pretty good (comparatively speaking) so since there's nothing too major to worry about, they piss, moan and whine over trivial shit. It's something everyone does.

Originally Posted by Starwind55

People always complained. It's not a recent phenomenon. It only seems that way because the internet just makes it more visible. It's just human nature to point out bad things more often than they do the good. I think the fact that we have it pretty good (comparatively speaking) so since there's nothing too major to worry about, they piss, moan and whine over trivial shit. It's something everyone does.

How do you define complaining and how do you distinguish it from criticism?
I have the suspicion that we have different definitions of that.

Opinion:

Indeed, we are living in the safest times with the highest known average quality of life.
So why are so many people bitching?

Lack of exercise.

Consider the periods of history where life for the average peasant was much more difficult, but also simpler in many ways.
Pretty much everyone had a job (even if it paid almost squat).
There was no internet and no 24-hr news cycle.
If you didn't move your ass, you starved.
As a consequence, though, you didn't have time to sit around and gain unnecessary weight.

From what I've heard from various fitness instructors, athletes and sportsmen over the years, strenuous physical exercise helps put things into perspective.
The body was built to move, and historically when people were in danger, they needed strenuous physical action to avoid death or serious injury.

This translates into the modern day for people who participate in sports. I can't remember what the chemicals are named, but in your brain there is a combination that, when regularly exercising, keeps your stress levels low.


This is the perspective I'm talking about. When routinely faced with physical challenges, your susceptibility to everyday stress is much lower.
And therefore, less reason to complain.

"Oh God, I almost died..."
"Oh yeah? Well so and so just said x and I'm really offended!"

I think people do complain more nowadays and they do it because they can. In the olden days you actually had to put some (even if sometimes little) effort into complaining. Nowadays all you have to do is whip out your phone and write a tweet. That's it, your daily whine complete. I think for many it becomes habitual.

Increased offline bitching may be a side-effect of this. Sure, the internet makes it more visible, but it also provides a platform that allows you to broadcast your frustrations to thousands of like-minded individuals. It also allows people to complain about things that they never could in real life, through anonymity.

Good points raised by all though. Exercise (or lack thereof) is a plausible theory.

Originally Posted by Mantis

I think people do complain more nowadays and they do it because they can. In the olden days you actually had to put some (even if sometimes little) effort into complaining. Nowadays all you have to do is whip out your phone and write a tweet. That's it, your daily whine complete. I think for many it becomes habitual.

Increased offline bitching may be a side-effect of this. Sure, the internet makes it more visible, but it also provides a platform that allows you to broadcast your frustrations to thousands of like-minded individuals. It also allows people to complain about things that they never could in real life, through anonymity.

Good points raised by all though. Exercise (or lack thereof) is a plausible theory.

Yeah I would not have considered lack of exercise to be a factor but they say when you keep the mind and body busy, it leaves little room for sinking into a bad mood. You need to be in a bad mood to want to vent and complain. Also, I read a study I think it was last year that said exercise, generally getting your heart rate up and working up a sweat, will ease anxiety more effectively than medicine. It also leads to better sleep and you can guess, a better outlook on life. You are just happier as a person. Makes sense.

Originally Posted by Mantis

I think people do complain more nowadays and they do it because they can. In the olden days you actually had to put some (even if sometimes little) effort into complaining. Nowadays all you have to do is whip out your phone and write a tweet. That's it, your daily whine complete. I think for many it becomes habitual.

The accessibility of -ironically convenient- social media technology certainly makes complaining far easier of a practice, especially that social media tends to feed off of human attention-seeking and narcissistic behaviour

Originally Posted by LtSurge

The accessibility of -ironically convenient- social media technology certainly makes complaining far easier of a practice, especially that social media tends to feed off of human attention-seeking and narcissistic behaviour

I think that social media in a way made complaining normalized. Like it was once considered a bad trait by most to be a complainer but now you get praised for it on and offline it would seem. They even encourage you to complain at work, especially if you are a woman.

Originally Posted by KorinKitty

I think that social media in a way made complaining normalized. Like it was once considered a bad trait by most to be a complainer but now you get praised for it on and offline it would seem. They even encourage you to complain at work, especially if you are a woman.

I think it started since they got backed up by the media and radicalised parts of universities, which also train and produce the journalists.
The stuff SJWs say these days wasnt imaginable during the 80s. I think even if they had social media back then.

And i assume the Internet is the reason that they dont completely dominate the narrative by now.

Originally Posted by KorinKitty

I think that social media in a way made complaining normalized.

Yeah, I think this sums it up pretty well. People aren't complaining MORE per se, it's just easier to access & broadcast.

Originally Posted by KorinKitty

They even encourage you to complain at work, especially if you are a woman.

Bigot! Strong, loud, angry women increase office cohesion by 10000000000000% studies have shown!! I'm gonna go file a complaint.