Buncha whining bastards

[andrewducker]

[Poll #158119]

Comments

[kpollock.livejournal.com]

I can't answer this one - it depends on what I'm complaining about.

Sometimes I complain about (but also propose solutions to things that I doubt will change (bad queue management at airports, for example) or that the people with me can't change. I am looking for confirmation that my view is reasonable and also for an assessment of my proposed solution. So that one is both, I think. I do that a lot - complain but also offer solutions to my complaint. [ e.g "people are just too stupid, shoot the lot of them, that's what I say" :-) ]

[allorin.livejournal.com]

See, I thought you meant when YOU complain....

[andrewducker]

Nope. It's a quiz. You answer as yourself....

[allorin.livejournal.com]

Ah well, 'Solutions' then, obviously.

Darn quiz. Grumble, moan, complain....

[andrewducker]

You can change your response you know...

[allorin.livejournal.com]

I had no idea.

Darn quizzes. Moan, grumble, girn, complain....

[wolflady26.livejournal.com]

Venting steam (or as the earlier poster said, requesting affirmation) is sadly lacking in the answers. I took support, cause it sounded the closest.

Of course, it depends on the complaint, but you did say "mostly" and not "always".

[andrewducker]

That's why I said mostly :->

And yeah, people complain to vent steam, but I was more thinking "what do you want from the other person?"

[rollick.livejournal.com]

None of the above. I'm usually trying to get people to laugh at the situation, which incidentally helps me laugh at the situation. I'm mostly looking to entertain.

heh

[josephgrossberg.livejournal.com]

If you're a woman, just someone to listen.

Which makes no sense to me, because I'm a guy.

The female version would be:

When I complain about a situation I'm mostly asking for:
* a sympathetic listener ("Wow, that's terrible!")
* a supportive listener ("It's OK. You'll make it through this.")
* a sycophantic listener ("What a jerk! You're so right! I'd kick his ass if I was you!")
* any freaking listener will do ("Umm humm ... yeah ... [takes another bite of sandwich, then picks up phone again] ... that's crazy ... of course ...")
* a listener who's got some great pain-killer for those cramps ("Hey, I have some extra-strength Tylenol in my purse. You want some?")

Re: heh

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

What a stupid set of stereotypes. There are women in the world capable of a greater range of emotions than "I need a hug" and "I have period pain", you know.

Actually, it took me ages to realise that people did think this was a gender issue. I always thought I was anti-wallowing because I was brought up English Protestant, and that's exactly what the cultural reality is for me. While I'm nowhere near a Protestant now, logically, I happen to think it's healthier not to spend ages mired in despond when you could read a good book and forget about it. And you better believe that doesn't make me the world's most popular feminist dyke.

Re: heh

[andrewducker]

On the one hand I agree with you. One should not stereotype.

Looking down the list, the figures very slightly support a male/female divide (and it's amusing to me to note that most of the people that cross the divide are bisexual or gay).

Too small a sample size to mean anything whatsoever, but in my experience women are more likely to want support, men are more likely to want solutions.

The reasons for this, of course, are entirely up for grabs.

Re: heh

[josephgrossberg.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was a joke.

As a guy who's dealt with depression and often wanted a "listener" myself, I realize that these emotions aren't gender-specific.

Sorry that the "tone of voice" on my original post wasn't clearer.

[yonmei.livejournal.com]

...I picked option number 1, but if you'd listed "a kitten" as well as the "pony or puppy" choices, I would have been struggling.

Re: heh

[kpollock.livejournal.com]

BANG!

Re: heh

[josephgrossberg.livejournal.com]

"BANG"?

Re: heh

[kpollock.livejournal.com]

I was responding with humour to your humour (I assume it was humour or an attempt thereof)

Re: heh

[josephgrossberg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was humor. I just dont' know what you mean by "bang" ... feeling very dense.