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Memories of the 28th Century

On Complaining, Considered as One of the Fine Arts

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We know that it is our responsibility to engage in Civil Disobedience to force government to perform as it should, but there are NGO's, government authorities and government corporations that are used to carry out the functions that the government wants to put at arm's length. How should we deal with those? The answer is simple; they deserve the same treatment as any business corporation, and most of them should be spun off as private business. Like businesses, government owned enterprises have to be responsible for their actions, and they also must be responsible to their clientele.

Being responsible to one's clientele requires that one respond to the clientele, when there is a complaint, and a well expressed complaint can be more effective than a well-placed bribe, in addition to being less expensive, and more legal. Complaints are not simply blowing off steam; there must be something to be improved by the complaint, and the complaint should use the essence of the organization as the center point of the complaint. At the same time, one probably would like to vent one's spleen on someone.

Good targets for complaints would include governmental services that are provided in a discriminatory fashion. These might include age based discrimination or preferences for certain skin colors, etc. Anything that provides special benefits for a particular class of persons, whether those be married people, disabled people, persons within a certain range of age, etc. is a valid target for complaints. Another one that I think provides plenty of room for complaint is religious preference. The tax treatment of religious groups opens a lot of room for complaint, and for an excellent method of civil disobedience and for complaints.

In addition to complaining about the basis of something, complaining about the way that a policy is carried out is also valid, but there are differences between complaining to government agencies and private businesses. Any and all government agencies are required to treat everyone in a non-discriminatory way without giving preference for any persons or classes of persons. And the organizations, governmental or not, have their own standards that they claim to be using in providing services. Holding the managers’ feet to the fire can be a good way to get them to change, especially if they have only been paying lip service to standards and legal obligations.

As an example, I will recount complaining about a bus driver on the regional transit authority. The specific thing that bothered me was that the driver neglected to stop at the stop where I was planning to get off. Instead I was abducted to the next stop. I had already learned that the local police will not touch a case, even though it is their responsibility to apprehend such criminals and to hold them for prosecution, but they go around armed, so they get away with a lot that I can't do. That particular driver had earlier demonstrated his incapacity for holding such a responsible position by stopping short and knocking at least one passenger headlong to the floor, and another would also have been on the floor, if he hadn't landed on my knees. Over the phone I vented my spleen, but in writing I was completely diplomatic. I would like to know what action was taken against the driver; that would tell me whether my complaints are truly effective, or what. It is quite clear that public demonstrations against the local transit company wouldn't be all that effective, but well delivered complaints may convince the management that something has to be done. It is also a good idea to express one's fury than to hold it in to help give one ulcers and heart problems.

Indeed, artful complaining can stand in for civil disobedience. It can be civil disobedience, because it requires that some action be taken, and like the civil disobedience that Henry D. Thoreau engaged in it requires personal involvement, rather than the impersonal nature of marches and other mass demonstrations. Thoreau refused to pay taxes that he believed were improper, and eventually those taxes were changed or eliminated. A single complaint isn't likely to make great changes, but a number of artful complaints may result in some positive change.

I am not advocating anything even remotely unlawful, and I am suggesting that it can be a good idea to point out legal requirements that are not being met. Pick your targets well and happy hunting.

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