treacherous whining

The treacherous art of whining

Giancarlo Livraghi – January 2012

Also as pdf
(better for printing)

whining
I don't know who is the author of this unpleasant picture.
It appears in several sites in the context of “stop global whining“.

I had published an article with this title in April, 2002 – in Italian (it was also translated into Spanish). But now it has a different meaning, in another environment. Ten years ago, it was a few months after the terroristic attack on September 11, 2001. For several following years, and in all sorts of circumstances worldwide, that tragedy was falsely blamed as the “cause” of totally unrelated problems and abuses.

On the exploitation of “seven eleven” also
Sciacalli, sciocchi e sciagurati in Italian
and Chacales, nechos y desgrciados in Spanish

Very different, but equally absurd, falsities followed the introduction of the Euro currency. It was enthusiastically applauded, in 1999, as a great success and a wonderful resource. But later it became, with blatant lies, a scapegoat for all sorts of mistakes, stupidities and trickeries – in messy politics, financial manipulation and corporate mismanagement. Now it’s even worse.

In 2002 there were already worrying symptoms of the disease that later exploded as the so-called “economic crisis”. They weren’t new. Grotesque financial “bubbles” had inflated and deflated, but the financial tricksters were hideously successful in preventing their victims from understanding how they had been deceived.

Back in the Eighties of the twentieth century, the reckless abolition of controls on financial trickery and stock trade cheating had already caused serious problems – and it was obvious that it was going to get worse. But, compared to what followed, that was only a feeble beginning.

Recent developments exceed even the worst hypotheses. National governments in Europe, and also European Union authorities, seem to be out of their minds – apparently heading for an idiotic suicide of the Euro. The whole world, we are told, is drowning in a “recession” (or worse) while nobody understands why – or has any meaningful idea on how to find a remedy.

Though it helps to set the background, I don’t intend to repeat here what I have been writing on the perverse stupidity of this messy situation in Once upon a time there was the market with several relevant additions (including Is it a mental disease?) as well as other related articles.

But to make things worse there is also the exploitation of whining.

For too many years we were lulled in the false promises that “all was well” (see Tittytainment). But now we are even more harmfully deceived by the “crisis” scare. There are, indeed, seriously real problems. But they are very different from what the dominating culture and the overwhelming media environment are making us believe.

The obsessive repetition crisis-crisis-crisis-crisis isn’t only causing pathological depression, but also other confusing complexities. Such as unfocused protests, that make a lot of noise for a while but then run out without producing any result. Selfishness in which people seek refuge trying to avoid the storm, forgetting the basic need for empathy and social solidarity (see Of mice and men). Also helpless addiction, because we “get into the habit” and, without even being aware of doing so, we end up accepting the unacceptable.

In addition to all this, there is the treacherous art of whining. “Well, you know, we are in a crisis” is a widespread excuse for underpaying, exploiting, dismissing, mortifying, taking advantage of people’s miseries.

Some of the most privileged people ride on the general hardship to pretend to be suffering. The corrupt and corrupting, cheaters and criminals, egoists and exploiters, feel “justified”. The name of the game is passing the buck. It is so in the national and international scenarios of politics and economy, as in countless small vicissitudes of petty egoism.

In summary, we are overwhelmed by an acute, pandemic manifestation of the power of stupidity.

It would be wrong, however, to say or believe that “everything is that way”. If we haven’t (so far) totally collapsed in the catastrophe it’s because many people, staying away from the limelight, are doing what is needed, understanding the values of solidarity, staying committed to solving problems instead of looking for excuses.

They (I am tempted to say “we”) are aware, of course, of the “crisis” – in its worrying reality, not in the mythology of appearances. But never “demotivated” in looking beyond fear and finding the opportunities to do something that is actually useful, responsible, constructive, socially aware. In one word, human.

It is painfully necessary to feel sorry for those who are really suffering. In the anxiety of selfish fear, it isn’t happening with enough attention, nor wideness of perspective. But, even when it’s right, crying is not enough.

We need to act and react, each of us within the scope of our abilities and opportunities (while always watching with a critical eye the raging stupidity of power).

Anyhow, a necessary step to be less confused is to get rid of the sterile perversity of too much manneristic and hypocritical whining.