Privilege and the right to complain

[Kerethos]

Here's my view on complaining: There's always a good reason to complain!

Now let's elaborate on that just a bit, because there's few things people might say that reeks so of ignorance as:
"You've got it so good, you've got no right to complain."

What I want to scream in their face, every time I hear someone say something like that, is:
"IT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE COMPLAIN, YOU DUMB FUCK!"

Seriously, if you always accept that things are the way they are, and don't complain, then things will never, ever, ever get better. When you complain you've identified something that could be better, and you've started the process of making it better.

Complaining is a vital first step to fixing a perceived problem, it's the first step towards finding a better solution, towards making things better, towards progress. It doesn't matter who complains or for what reason - you always have a right, I'd say even a duty to complain, if things aren't to your liking or could be better.

I don't care if you're making millions a year and want to make more millions, think DLC's in games are done badly, your lover is doing something you don't like, science fails to explain something or you lack for basic survival needs. You still have a right to complain, because that's the first step in fixing it.

If you have something to complain about, then you always have the right to do so - and you should! Complaining builds wealth, prosperity, justice, equal rights for all, advances technology and knowledge. Complaining is the first step towards improvement.

Complaining is good!

And if you can't stand me complaining, then go fuck yourself in your perfect world where everything's great and flawless.[footnote]Then invite me please, because I too would like to live in that earthly paradise of yours.[/footnote]

 

[Happiness Assassin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_relative_privation

Just because a problem is less worthy of another does not mean that the lesser problem should not be discussed. "Caring" is not a finite resource, something that must be given to the worst problems. Whether or not I want greater diversity in games does not stop me from caring about the atrocities of ISIS. If people never complained about a problem, it would never get fixed.

 

[Bruce]

A recent thread in the Gaming Forum has got me wondering about something that seems to be popping up all over the place these days. There seems to be a consistent argument around those who are in privileged positions not being able to complain about things that impact or interest them simply because there are others who have it worse.

For example, as someone living a relatively comfortable life in a first world country you're not allowed to complain about something in pop media because you're not a civilian caught in the middle of a civil war in the Middle East. Or, perhaps, because your issues don't revolve around solving the Ebola outbreak in Africa they are simply invalid and not worth even speaking aloud.

This is a perspective that I personally have a lot of issue with. Now, I'm certainly not saying that my issues with DLC in videogames are on par with the Gaza crisis, but they are still issues I have and find interest in discussing.

What do you all think about the question of privilege and the right to complain?

Privilege doesn't particularly invalidate complaints, in fact it kind of strengthens them because when people who are in a relatively privileged position are complaining - it is generally the tip of the iceberg.

Lets take atheism for example.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/07/christian-broadcaster-ebola-could-cleanse-us-of-atheists-gay-people-and-sluts/

White, liberal atheist types are horrified by that guy but for the most part, if you are white, have money and live in a first world country you have more in the way of options for dealing with that sort of incredibly shitty asshole and his even shittier followers.

You have a degree of mobility that means you can sort of ignore him, and you can raise your voice to deplore him.

Now consider that the exact same sort of guy is present in Africa, he is often the local priest or pastor, he has a strong following within the village in part because he receives money from Americans who think they're being charitable by funding literal witch hunters.

Now consider what it is like to be a black atheist without much cash in the third world.

He isn't a laughing matter anymore. He is celebrating the illness that killed hundreds of your countrymen, and your options for dealing with him? Include the risk of getting lynched.

Why? Because he has money and you don't. He has social legitimacy and you don't. God is not real, but the congregation is.

When relatively privileged people complain, it isn't generally something you should ignore because part of their privilege is having the ability to be heard.

When you take a look at any of the issues, you will note the privileged complaints signal far worse abuses down the economic line.

With abusive practices within the gaming industry - that may seem mild and not terribly worth getting het-up over, but then consider what these signal within the wider economy. Gamers complain about DLC, because they are in an economy where TV show hosts can sell 'magical beans' as weight loss products and the worst consequences they suffer, the very worst, is a very stern talking to.

Even if the beans in question didn't make it to human testing because they caused diabetes in rats. The general American economy is "buyer-beware". Sometimes not even that, when the American banking system was seizing people's houses on the basis of mortgages that didn't exist, auctioning off those people's stuff, well a stern talking to was about all they got too.

Complaints within computer and console gaming are just a microcosm for much wider issues within the general economy, so pointing to privilege as a silencing technique is just stupid.

Sure there are bigger issues out there, but I don't see the types of people who sneeringly talk about those doing anything about them either.