HowLongCouldYouGoWithoutComplaining
BaseballfansaregearingupfortheWorldSeries,butweallknowwhat'stherealnationalpastime:complaining.Couldyougowithoutgripingaboutanythingforaday?Foraweek?
AcoupleofeditorsatSlate'sDoubleXwomen'ssitearetryingtogoawholemonthwithoutcomplaining.BothJessicaGrose,managingeditor,andHannaRosin,foundingeditor,sayonthesitethatthey'vegrownconcernedaboutover-relyingoncomplaintsingettingthroughtheirjugglesMs.Groseisnewlyengaged,Ms.Rosinmarriedwiththreeyoungchildren.Overthecourseoftheirefforts,thetworealizehowmuchoftheirinteractionswithfriendsandcolleaguesarebasedonthecommoncurrencyofcomplaining.
Ms.Groserecountsarecentpleasantdriveduringwhichsherealizedshewasenjoyingagoodmomentinherlifeandhadnothingtocomplainaboutwhichledto"atwingeofpanic"attheveryfactofhavingnothingtocomplainabout."Thisshiningmomentofwhine-freelivingmademerealizehowmuchkvetchingIdoonadailybasis.IfIamhonestwithmyself,Iwouldestimatethatabout70%ofthethingsthatcomeoutofmymoutharegripes.Good-natured，often,butstillnonessentialandsometimesobnoxioustoothers."
SoMs.Grosedecidesto"trytostopcomplainingentirelyaboutsmallthingsandquitexcessivelycomplainingaboutthebiggerones,"foramonth.Sheenlistsherboss,Ms.Rosin,intheefforttoreachastateofmore"mindfulcomplaining,"asMs.Rosintermsit.
Ms.Rosinrelatesherowntaleofaddictiontocomplaints:Aftershegripedaboutkeepingupwithherchildren'scomplexscheduleofafter-schoolactivities,herhusbandmadeupaweeklyscheduleandposteditonthefridge."Inearlykilledrum.Honestly,itwasourmostdramaticmaritalfighttodate.WhywasIangrywithhim?Ittookmeafewdaystofigureitout.Becausebyhelpingtosolvetheproblem,hehadrobbedmeofmyGod-givenrighttocomplain."
IcertainlyjoinMs.GroseandMs.Rosininspendingafairamountoftimecomplaining,especiallyatwork.Aswe'vewrittenaboutbefore,atsomeworkplaces,peopleendupspendingmoretimekvetchingaboutworkthanactuallyworking.Mostofourgripestherethesedayscenteronournewpublishingsystem,whichremainsabitbuggyafterfivemonthsofuse.Butthere'ssomemodestenjoymentincommiseratingaboutanexperiencewe'reallgoingthroughtogether,andforthemostpartI'mfortunatenottohavetrulyawfulworkwoestocomplainabout,myco-workersaretalentedandconscientious，andthesectionweproduceissomethingwecanbeproudof.
Ihavefewseriouscomplaintsathome,either.Wehavetheusuallittlesqualls,butmywifeandIoftenremarkhowmuchweenjoyourchildren,ourfriendsandeachother.Itrytolookonthebrightsaidmostofthetime,soIfeellikewhatevercomplainingIdoisn'tadebilitatingprobleminneedofaggressivecorrection.
Howaboutforyou?Whatarethesourcesofyourbiggestcomplaints?Doyouthinkyoucomplaintoomuchathomeoratwork,andcouldyouseemakingaconcertedeffortoversomeperiodoftimetocutback?Doyouthinkyoucouldgoonacomplaintfast?
棒球迷们正在翘首以待即将到来的世界职业棒球大赛，但我们大家都清楚美国真正的全国性休闲方式是什么:发牢骚。你能不能一整天都不发一句牢骚?整整一周呢?
