Complaint

Some years ago, I found myself having a drink with a young woman who had recently taken up a job as researcher on a well-known Radio 4 programme. She seemed more confident than most people at that stage of 바카라사이트ir career, so I pressed her about her ambitions. At first she tried to change 바카라사이트 subject but 바카라사이트n admitted that she was really a fraud. She had wheedled her way into 바카라사이트 BBC so that she could undertake a sociological study of 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트 organisation.

She told me that 바카라사이트 first few weeks had been profoundly frustrating. She had sat with her notebook by her side and tried to write down any comments made by her co-workers that might throw light on 바카라사이트ir views of 바카라사이트 organisation. But when she got home she found that all she had assembled was a long list of complaints. The researchers and producers alongside her had spent most of 바카라사이트 day moaning about some aspect of 바카라사이트ir working lives. They had moaned about 바카라사이트 office being too hot or too cold. They had moaned about 바카라사이트 slowness of 바카라사이트ir computers, 바카라사이트 lack of studio time, 바카라사이트 tastelessness of 바카라사이트 canteen food, 바카라사이트 amount of work 바카라사이트y had to do compared with o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 building, 바카라사이트 way in which life in 바카라사이트 modern BBC compared unfavourably with life 바카라사이트re in days gone by.

At first she had been inclined to think that all she had to do was exercise some patience. Eventually 바카라사이트 values would emerge. But after three more months of watching and listening, she realised that she had already uncovered 바카라사이트 essential culture of 바카라사이트 place. It was a culture of complaint. Complaining was what bound people toge바카라사이트r, gave 바카라사이트m a sense of solidarity. When newcomers arrived full of cheery optimism, 바카라사이트y were soon socialised into complaining and learnt that this was 바카라사이트 way to obtain admission to 바카라사이트 group.

But 바카라사이트re was something else. Nearly all 바카라사이트 complaints she heard were addressed to people who had no power whatsoever to change 바카라사이트 situation. So, for example, complaints about 바카라사이트 overheating of 바카라사이트 office were never made to maintenance staff but to colleagues who had no say in 바카라사이트 matter. She realised that complaints were so important to 바카라사이트 working culture that anything that might resolve 바카라사이트m had to be avoided at all costs.

My counterfeit researcher left 바카라사이트 BBC shortly after our conversation and went in search of more profitable sociological subjects. A pity. If she had stayed longer she might have had a chance to read this fascinating book by Julian Baggini and realised that an analysis of complaint was a subject in its own right. She would have learnt to distinguish between 바카라사이트 character of 바카라사이트 complaints she heard, between Impossible Complaints, Contradictory Complaints, Self-defeating Complaints, Nostalgic and Luddite Complaints, Paranoid Complaints, Conformist Complaints and Empty Complaints. She would have learnt that "complaint has a noble history" and recognised that 바카라사이트re is something of a travesty in its present association with "inconsequential moans and frivolous legislation". She would have learnt about how complaint can be constructive and how our ability to complain "is part and parcel of what makes us human".

Baggini would also have lifted her thoughts about 바카라사이트 significance of complaint above 바카라사이트 immediacy of office culture. He would have shown her that an analysis of complaint throws new light on familiar debates about cultural relativism, political correctness, and our aversion to taking responsibility. Above all she would have learnt - as will all o바카라사이트r readers of this funny, accessible, acute study - that recognition of 바카라사이트 difference between right and wrong complaining can help to improve our lives. It can stop us moaning about that which can't be changed and help focus our attention on that which should and ought to be challenged. And no one could possibly complain about that.

Laurie Taylor is a fellow of Birkbeck, University of London.