A new medium to voice complaints

Leon Gettler a writer for the Age has a blog: Management Line.


His blog today made me laugh:

"Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Whingeing harmony of complaint

Frustrated with the way they pat you on the shoulder at work, then stab you in the back? Constantly irritated by ringtones? Worried about jobs going to China? Don't you hate the way Christmas starts earlier every year?

If the annoying things in life are getting to you, check out this Finnish ensemble, the Helsinki Complaints Choir, which has been putting in appearances back home and which is now being posted up on YouTube.


Great to hear all those beautiful voices griping about the stuff that gets to all of us.

Some of it very European, but mostly universal. Everything from the everyday and banal ("Bullshitters get on too well in life", "My dreams are boring" and "Reference numbers are too long") to the unsettling ("Old people are fed with tranquilizers so they won't complain", "You can't get rich by working. And love doesn't last forever") to humor ("Old forests are cut down and turned into toilet paper. And still all the toilets are always out of paper").

Yeah, isn't it reassuring to know you're not on your own?

I reckon this one is an absolute corker. What do you think? And are there any complaints you'd like to add? Any gripes with an Australian slant?"


I would agree with him. It is rather universal. I know a few people who could conjure up similar lyrics, however the score might be another story. I like to think there are many things we (that being the Australia I live in) have in common with Europe, rather than the US. It's probably while I managed to consume this book in a matter of weeks a few years back. It was very interesting take on the gradual shift of the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary politics.