Do you ever notice that people who complain a lot are often doing less work than the people not complaining? It's always the kids with more privilege that whine about everything. The fabulist Aesop seems to have noticed the same thing;
A heavy wagon was being pulled along a country lane by a team of Oxen. The Axles in the wagon groaned and creaked constantly. After awhile, the Oxen, turning, said to the wheels: “Why do you make so much noise? We do all the work so it’s we, not you, who should be making noise.”
When I worked as a cook, we often felt like slaves to the kitchen. Semi-skilled labourers, expected to give our lives to the craft for low wages. (There's a very prevalent attitude among chefs that their employees should be worked liked dogs, and treated much the same.)
So we suffered and worked, and often got pretty damn proud of it. The constant pressure made us sharp and boastful. It was fun. Maybe a bit masochistic, but fun!
I worked my ass of and rarely complained. There's always work to do, and some of it sucks - but whining about it just makes you detestable. But I cooked for a long time. At a point, I just became used to it - conditioned by the system.
The moral that's given with the quote is 'those who suffer most cry out the least'.
Dealing with chronic pains, I can relate. When you hurt all the time you want to let people know why you're irritable and slow. However, most people (who may also be hurting) become bothered if all you talk about is how bad things are.
I come from the mentality that one should "bite your lip, and suck it up". Work through the pain, and don't complain. Isthis not ingrained in our culture?
Or is that only in the working class?
Dealing with chronic pains, I can relate. When you hurt all the time you want to let people know why you're irritable and slow. However, most people (who may also be hurting) become bothered if all you talk about is how bad things are.
I come from the mentality that one should "bite your lip, and suck it up". Work through the pain, and don't complain. Isthis not ingrained in our culture?
Or is that only in the working class?
When I worked as a cook, we often felt like slaves to the kitchen. Semi-skilled labourers, expected to give our lives to the craft for low wages. (There's a very prevalent attitude among chefs that their employees should be worked liked dogs, and treated much the same.)
So we suffered and worked, and often got pretty damn proud of it. The constant pressure made us sharp and boastful. It was fun. Maybe a bit masochistic, but fun!
I worked my ass of and rarely complained. There's always work to do, and some of it sucks - but whining about it just makes you detestable. But I cooked for a long time. At a point, I just became used to it - conditioned by the system.
Conditioning matters. We become used to our comforts and work load. The oxen in the fable probably don't complain because they're just used to doing their job. They've been treated like slaves all their lives, and like it or not, they're going to be doing it for some time.
So they make do. No use complaining.
So they make do. No use complaining.
But what about issues that need to be addressed?
When is complaining necessary?
Well, Aesop had hundreds of damn fables. Here's another;
A Coachman hearing one of the wheels of his coach make a great noise, and perceiving that it was the worst one of the four, asked it how it came to take such a liberty. The Wheel answered that from the beginning of time creaking had always been the privilege of the weak.
We're all familiar with the slogan "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". It's said enough times that its become cliche and meaningless. It's close to "ask and you shall receive". Both statements hold the same idea, which is to speak up. Say what needs to be said.
Being honest about the shit you have to deal with greatly helps solving the problem. It certainly won't ease the pain though - nor will it mean that anybody wants to hear it. Some people will even be very aggressive about making you quiet.
It's true that sometimes the words which must be said are the ones that no one wants to hear.
Although, there's a lot to be said about when, how, and to who you say those things to.
...
So
tell it like it is
try not to be a vindictive dick about it
and if you don't got anything good to say
...
It's true that sometimes the words which must be said are the ones that no one wants to hear.
Although, there's a lot to be said about when, how, and to who you say those things to.
...
So
tell it like it is
try not to be a vindictive dick about it
and if you don't got anything good to say
...
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