Saturday 15 November 2014

Complaints

"It's so hot today, why can't it just rain? All we have is sun, sun, sun.... Doesn't the sun get tired from shining all day? Just take a rest already..."

"What? Rain again? I wanted to just dry my clothes. Why must it rain so much? The rain clouds can always just drift away to another area right? Not like anyone else there would be drying clothes, since all of them are sleeping or in class..."

Yep, people love to complain. They are never satisfied with what they have, of course, that includes me. Well, if it were a few years ago, I would surely have denied this fact. I used to be one who would try to justify my complaints based on logical reasoning.

"Why must you always cook the same dishes over and over again?" I retorted to mother. "I mean, cooking different dishes gives us variety, right? It helps spice up our life in some ways, and we get more nutrients from various kinds of foods," I reasoned, having a lack of understanding of how tired mother was after doing all those house chores and having to think about the days' menu while I slacked off in front of the TV watching Korean dramas.

Well, she took what I said into consideration, and the very next day, I was welcomed home from school by a plethora of different dishes.

"Mother, why did you cook that? You know I don't eat ..."

Yep, thinking back, I guess I was kind of a spoiled brat back then.

But I guess times haven't really changed that much, only the kinds of things we complain about and the degree to which it amounts to.

"Why is the bus so freaking packed? I need to get to class in 5 minutes or I'll be late. These people should let me go on first instead of pushing me to the side. I'm sure they can take another bus since they are from a different class..." Complains someone who got up late and didn't make the effort to come earlier even with prior knowledge on the severity of the "human congestion" on buses.

"Everyday eat the same old thing. Why can't there be more choices?" says another referring to the food at the cafeteria in the school he attends, which has even more variety than my mother's cooking. I'm sure this person has never known what it means to really have only one kind of food to eat...

Yep, complaints everywhere. But I guess it's okay at times. Wait. Before you think I am trying to justify stuff again, I lay my opinions on the table.

You see, complaints arise due to discontentment in certain issues or areas. Perhaps you could say the person is being ungrateful for what he or she has. That is normal, since complaints are a culmination and expression of our inherent feelings. It reflects how we are as humans, and I guess in some ways, these complaints can be seen in a positive light.

Complaints are also a reflection of one's inner thoughts. It shows you the mind of the complainer, with regards to some issue, however trivial it may be to you.

All these complaints can be used to benefit people. However, here in lies the irony. If complaining is seen as a negative thing, then how can it bring about benefit?

Well, point taken. It can't. If complaints can be used as a tool for improvement and further development on certain ideas or issues, then wouldn't it be good?

Of course it would!
But I guess people who complain might not really think that far. Thus, I guess in this sense, the complaint is kind of pointless.

So then, what is complaint that has a point? What is complaint that benefits?

Well, my friends, to me, that is constructive criticism.

If only people can turn their complaints in that which additional feedback and suggestions can be given, wouldn't it be all the more useful?

But if not, a complaint, no matter how you look at it, would still be a complaint.