Hudson: Gone an entire day without complaining?

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Have you ever tried to count how many times you complain in one day? I’ve already caught myself 29 times today. I’m guilty. So let’s just make it an even 30.

I hate feeling like I’m surrounded by complaints all the time.

Not only do we complain in our daily conversations, but we do it online as well.

I don’t know how many times I’ve logged onto Facebook only to see my friends’ statuses littered with complaints. Personally, I use Facebook because I care about what is going on in my friends’ lives, especially the ones I don’t see every day. The status part of Facebook is the easiest and most efficient way to find out new information about friends, since you can say anything and update it easily. Yet, instead of finding information about what’s new in their lives I read, “Billy Bob is sick of homework” or “Sally Sue is hungry.” I care about my friends, but I don’t need to know every time they have a pang of hunger or feel sleepy.

Like Facebook, I read the Free for All because I care about, not what’s new with my friends, but what new information my fellow students have to say. Often their comments can be funny, ridiculous or just down right true. Yet, take a look at the Free-for-All to your right. I’m betting several of those comments complain in some way. In the Free for All, we can talk about anything, yet often it’s used just to grumble out complaints. Why take the effort to call in just to say “My job sucks”?

A new online service I learned about recently is called Twitter. Twitter basically resembles the status part of Facebook. Its’ purpose is to keep you connected with co-workers, friends and family by having you answer one question, what are you doing? According to Twitter.com, updating what you’re doing is meaningful to family members, friends and colleagues. Yet, I can’t help but wonder, like Facebook, will “what are you doing” just turn into what do you have to complain about?

The first time I ever thought about complaining was in middle school. The details of where I was and why are fuzzy, I just remember the message. My principal asked if we had ever tried not to complain once all day. It was the first time I had ever thought about complaining as being wrong. Since then I don’t think I’ve ever succeeded in going all day without complaining once. With this column I’ve probably gone over 50 just for today. I bet you can do better than me.

Hudson is a Wichita junior in journalism and business.

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