I found nice amusing column article. Really love it. I think many PF users will find it on the spot!
The ability to complain bitterly and at great length is an important skill in Poland. When you start to learn Polish one of the first verbs they teach you is 'narzekać.' It's right there on page three, just after weather and professions: "This is Pan Kamiński. Pan Kamiński is complaining to his wife. Pan Kamiński's wife is a lighthouse keeper. She does not like fog." It's all useful stuff.
Ha....yes i would say that sums up my experiance of my Polish friends , but its a little different among close friends , i can complain about Polish stuff , and they about the UK , without anyone being offended....
Complaining can be viewed as constructive criticism. Someone complains then something is done to rectify the situation. If no one complained, change for the better would not be possible. People would fatalistically accept everything that comes their way, shrugging their shoulders helplessly.
I think complaining can be also said in a nice way. It depends on somebody's voice. People have often a distance to complaining because it is often considered as our national treat. It drives me mad a bit.
I also agree with PlasticPole that it might be constructive in many cases. You can thanks to it notice more optimistical/lighter aspects of a situation. You disagree with somebody and thanks to it you can see more clearly what is not good, what has to be improved, what should be changed for better...
However "what a wonderful evening" sounds a lot better than: "what a s****, cold, winter day".
Unfortunately western etiquette invades our beloved fatherland and asking someone "Jak sie masz?" gives you just a blunt "dobrze, dzięki" - inhonest lying youngsters!
If no one complained, change for the better would not be possible.
But often they do. Complaining loudly is often because you feel nothing would get done anyway.
I tried to teach my students to write letters of complaint and they just looked at me and asked why anyone would bother. They were dumbfounded to hear that, yes, I had actually got a few refunds for things with a decent letter...
Complaining is just Polish version of small talk. British talk about the weather, Americans talk about how wonderful everything is, and Polish complain. :)
It's certainly a trait here, of that there can be no debate. Many seem to know that I know Polish but how can they before I speak? At any rate, they lay it on thick when I'm sitting waiting for a service. I really feel bad for doctors here although it was probably part of their training to handle it.
Merged: Polish penchant for complaining exploited in ad campaign
Come and Complain is an advertising project presenting amusingly Poland and the Polish culture. It is based on what the Poles like to do the most - complain...
The first clip is obviously stupid: youtu.be/I6Kzh6iGhfQ
Next two are a little better: Sht, I don`t want to complain but these ads are a bit silly....
Those ads made my day, especially the second one. All my polish language teachers were aware that polish culture is well-known all over the world. But it's a fact that we have some kind of complex, we think that we are worse than the other nations.
My Dad would always say that arguing and complaining is the Slavic way. I thought that was a dreary opinion, but as with all stereotypes there is basis in truth. If this "Slavism" is true, then at least one knows what to expect and how to deal with it.
I'm going to add some universal behavioral characteristic assessments of the Polish folk to this thread and we can compare notes.
They moan and complain about everything! Moan, moan moan. Complain even when things are going well! Mostly men. Miserable sods! Waste of energy and effort. They would be far more productive if instead of moaning actually did something positive!
Let's begin with bragging. That is, Poles more often than generally, don't. Perhaps new Grandparents would be an exception. Poles will spout a long list of failures but any successes are rarely mentioned. Poles rarely mention their achievements. True or False?
Complaining is the only pathway to improving anything..thats why stores who care about their trade keep a watchful eye for any sign thereof. Keep your mouth closed and watch standards of everything slide down and down..
Complaining is the only pathway to improving anything
Poles can sometimes be perfectionists to a fault, and complain loudly to each other if something isn't as they think it should be. It isn't in any sense a land of stoical silence.
@Lyzko So even Polish complaining is not inherent to Poland? Poland doesn't even border Austria.
As for complaining, I can complain about foreigners thinking Polish characteristics, traditions, language etc are heavily influenced by Germans/Russians/Americans (the list goes on). As much as cultures mix and influence others, there are certain things that are typical to different European nations - still it would be an exaggeration to say they apply to all people from a given culture/country/circle.
As for complaining or grumbling, why do some expect others to be happy and bubbly all the time? Personally, I don't like it when people complain about things all the time but being around happy- bubbly people all the time might be tiresome, too.
And since generations of Poles have experienced some tough life, people often choose not to praise things so that they don't appear conceited or żeby nie zapeszyc ;)
I was simply making a joke apropos, nothing more!:-)
In fact, the art of complaining has become part of the Austrian, especially, Viennese, lingo from time immemorial. Optimism in Vienna (having lived there for a time) is often suspect and considered too "American" for most people's traditional tastes. Only recently, according to the NYT, is positive thinking in France actually being given intellectual credence. Go figure. That apparently it's also a Polish trait I heard for the first time just several days ago when I read the current thread!
Poles do have a sense of National pride, but are at times hesitant to show it publicly. A lack of National self-confidence? Perhaps illustrated by constantly comparing Poland to other countries. Yes?
It's just stereotyping or lack of education/experience on the part of foreigners
Actually, these points are from a book written by two Polish Women (Anna Spysz & Marta Turek w/ forward by Lech Walesa) that I'm reading. I wasn't finished posting what they posited but I can now.
I was talking about something elementy. As for the 'book', I have just googled it and read the reviews. The authors are said to be Polish Americans (information from lubimy czytać.pl ) and it's far from being a profound reading - anecdotes, funny stereotypes etc.
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