A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction or annoyance about a state of affairs or an event.   In my experience complaining about things is a natural behavior, common to both myself and everyone I know.

For What Purpose?

Assuming there is some sort of motivation driving any particular behavior I wonder what motivates complaining.  That is, the behavior is focused on the negative, whats the value of that?

Logically the purpose probably falls into one of the following or in some cases multiple categories:

• To effect a change.  For example things like; a repair, acknowledgement of fault; restitution and so  on
• To make yourselve feel better by voicing your feelings, letting it go
• Political manuevering to gain advantage (in theses cases the target of your complaint is something you want to discredit)
• Group think, responding to peer pressure and joining the crowd, demonstrating you are with them not the others that are being complained about. (You belong to the IN crowd)
• Pure vindictiveness, it’s an attack after all

Tread Carefully!

Complaining can develop feelings of self righteousness, morphing into indignation.  This might help you resolve some of your own  issues, but we are social animals and live with others.

Arrogant behaviours are not usually appreciated by others and could backfire on you.  Worse, constant complaining ( which is negative by definition)  can make you feel bad and unhappy.

For these reasons complaining  should be used sparingly and cautiously.  Understand exactly what you are trying to achieve and stop when you get it or if it appears you are not going to achieve your goal.

The negative results on you personally of uncontained complaining can be quite significant.