It is said that ‘ you win some, you lose sum ‘. Fair enough. This philosophical expression originated in the early 1900s among gamblers who bet on sports. But, when it comes to whining, going down south into the bottomless rabbit hole is the only assured outcome. If a downward spiral is what you are seeking, please go ahead, though none of the people around you would be in any hurry to offer you some cheese with you whine !
Whining is self reinforcing and it doesn’t let go of you easily. Embracing tightly the comfort zone called status quo has something to do with it. That said, we as humans are hardwired to whine as a way to ask for connection and empathy. And as we do that, knowingly or unknowingly, we dilute or give up on our initiative, our action, our agency, our possibilities, ignore potential joy and sink into the never ever can you win card game called ‘ Let’s Play Victim ‘. There is a better way to bridge the gap, be a blackjack rather than stay poker faced.
The culture gets a lot of say in what is encouraged. Most armed forces around the world, the mariners, the SEALS etc, discourage whining with a passion. While fan bases of popular sports teams in baseball, football, cricket, basketball and the likes around the world, use that as crutch, in fact bask in it.
Like every problem presents and opportunity, marketers and the customer service community should see this a chance to redeem and delight. Firstly, not offering scorn, but by acknowledging the ‘problem‘. And by taking responsibility, not only does the problem stand a far higher chance of being resolved but the resultant connection goes deep and becomes more meaningful. ” You whine some..you win some “.
In a world with so many challenges and so much unevenly distributed distress, whining about the brand of toiletries or the artisanal chocolates that the airline offered you as a first class passenger on your last flight would be impossible to justify. Whining is addictive and it is easy to get hooked on the solace that comes from whining (either from others, or from our selves).
“Never whine. Whining lets a brute know that a victim is in the neighborhood.” Maya Angelou