I find it endlessly amusing that those who constantly grumble about others being offended are themselves the biggest group of people who are offended. By opening their mouths, they become instant hypocrites. Not only that, they have no idea they’re even doing it, and when I point it out while trying to keep a straight face, they fall apart like wet toilet paper.

Fun times.

Now, you might find this odd, but I’m not the type of man who sees complaining as a waste of time or even necessarily negative. There’s a genuine reason for my stance, and it’s supported by this observation.

“Nothing ever changes unless someone becomes dissatisfied with how things are.”

This means one must voice a tone of dissatisfaction when it comes to either altering or manufacturing unwanted situations. So far, the idea has neutral energy. Obviously one could become disillusioned and angry with their position in life and as a result, they decide to take actions which turn out to be abusive and unethical. If the chain of events following said declaration hurts or endangers others, then the original intention is doomed to failure. Unfortunately collateral damage along this route is frequent. Jails and prisons are full of people who have instigated paths of widespread and ignorant harm, so there’s inarguable evidence of  an incorrect direction in life. On the other hand, one can look at the world and envision magnifying the needs and dreams of not just themselves, but others, which in my case will usually trigger a colorful and vocal response… in the form of complaining. THIS is the catalyst to all constructive change in the world, and while it has a similar tone to those who practice selfish goals, it has a totally different quality.

The temptation to mindlessly follow the crowd is high, and I’ve caught myself occasionally jumping off the cliff with those who practice such (often covert) self-defeating conduct. I’ve talked about this before, but it seems most people whine because in their minds it includes them in what they think are the voices of reason when in fact it simply adds volume to the problem. Adding problems to problems eventually make for gigantically overwhelming problems. This is why real solutions, however well intended, voiced, or funded, often get buried by the mountain it faces. It doesn’t happen because the solutions aren’t good, it’s because those heaping fuel on the bonfire are blindly motivated to keep the habit going. Why? Because the more people can distract from their own shortcomings by pointing fingers, the more they will continue to do so. The droning of the masses is loudest when it’s convinced spotlighting more problems will eliminate what it is they are feeding. The most common mantra is “We know this is a mess, but wait… what about?” which is akin to tossing HUGE logs into the inferno.

It’s a cancerous loop, and because it often is, we instinctively see complaining as unwanted behavior. It isn’t. What I’m getting at is this, please don’t think you’re complaining needlessly if you actually intend to follow through on creating a positive difference. Everything which has turned the world to a better place has ‘discontent’ as its opening move. This is easy enough to verify, by the way. History is replete with examples of good things happening where the first move was a single voice (or action) offering a needed or inspiring message on the perfect stage. Rosa Parks comes to mind. Be aware, however, that solutions, REAL solutions, will illuminate the REAL problems which are keeping them from manifesting, and this usually means forcing fingers to turn and point at themselves. Enemies, therefore, are unavoidable, and knowing this ahead of time takes courage.

Obviously one cannot extinguish a volcano by pouring a glass of water into it, but if they are brave enough to advertise their action (protest) to a massive and attentive audience, then it becomes the first domino to fall in a chain of inevitability. If we make ourselves a part of a solution which is first expressed by complaint, we generate and demonstrate the best of who we are through intention followed by action.

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With Love and Compassion, Daniel Andrew Lockwood