History Main / ComplainingAboutComplaining

* Matt says this about Joe in a part of the first ''Anime/DigimonAdventure''

** In another strip, Calvin complains about his grandfather's complaints that the art in newspaper comics isn't what it used to be and has been reduced to "a bunch of Xeroxed talking heads"... [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall in a strip that is exactly that.]] (It stands out because the art in ''Calvin and Hobbes'', even in the black-and-white, limited-space weekday strips, is always lush and unique. In the color Sunday strips it's downright painterly and genre-busting.)

This of course can be played more seriously if the complaints are legitimately something the audience and or most characters would be concerned about, only to be shut down by the other party. This could showcase declining relations or growing apathy.

-->-- ''Sims Big Brother 5''

!!Tropes listed in the WikiTropes index are being discussed at the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop. Click the link [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1618086045064904400&page=1#1 here]] to join the discussion.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In [=MMOs=] with heavy chat traffic, it's not unusual to see people spamming, complaining, or otherwise being annoying. However, alerting that player that they are now on an Ignore list or are being reported to [=GMs=] gets you the treatment of a tattle-taler in preschool. The litany tends to go "Reported!" "Reported for reporting!" "Reported for reporting a report!" until people get sick of the joke.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* This is how many {{flame war}}s get started, usually in a couple of ways.
** 1) Someone makes a criticism (different from 2 in that there is actually a reason). Large numbers of people tell them to just shut up. The first person tries to justify their claim. Flame war ensues.
** 2) Someone outright states they don't like the show for very little reason, or complains for the sake of complaining. People then attack the complainer for genuinely complaining. Usually both groups have at least some people who can't let it go and continue to fight while losing whatever reason was behind it (usually just flaming the other side). Back and forth flame war ensues.
** 3) Someone [[FanHater complains/flames about the fans themselves]]. Napalm Drop Instant Flame War.
%%* [[http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/clinton_blasts_obama_for The Onion]] says it best.
* With Website/YouTube's change from a five star voting system to a simple "Like/Dislike" option, expect to see various comments with "[number of dislikes] people are [negative object related to the video]."
* Some online forums will ban people for posting their ignore lists (often used to not-see people who complain too much). Ergo, the moderators are forcibly complaining about people spitefully complaining about people endlessly complaining.
[[/folder]]

-> '''[=McKenzie=]''': And now you're complaining about me complaining!
-> '''Griffin''': You just complained about me complaining about you complaining.

[[folder:AnimeAndManga]]

[[folder: Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': In the first chapter of the fourth story, ''The Diplomat's Life'', Princess Celestia mentions that one of their prisoners ([[spoiler:namely, Chrysalis]]) had recently asked that the other prisoner in the dungeon ([[spoiler:Cozy Glow]]) be moved to a different cell further away, because said second prisoner has been constantly ranting and complaining, and the first prisoner can't stand listening to it anymore. Because said first prisoner had been very well-behaved since going to jail, her request was granted.

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/BobRoberts'': "[[HypocriticalHumor But they complain and complain and complain...]]"

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/{{Community}}'' often points out the group's dysfunction:
-->'''Annie''': "We fight about fighting about ''fighting''!"

[[folder:New Media]]

* With Website/YouTube's change from a five star voting system to a simple 'Like/Dislike' option, expect to see various comments with "[number of dislikes] people are [negative object related to the video]."

%%* See the page quote from a Machinima about ''VideoGame/TheSims''.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'':
** Calvin complains about people who can't let one of their pet peeves go... [[HypocriticalHumor in a rant that lasts for three whole panels]]
** In another strip, Calvin complains about his grandfather's complaints that the art in newspaper comics isn't what it used to be and has been reduced to "a bunch of Xeroxed talking heads"... [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall in a strip that is exactly that.]] (It stands out because the art in ''Calvin and Hobbes'', even in the black-and-white, limited-space weekday strips, is always lush and unique. In the color Sunday strips it's downright painterly and genre-busting.)

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In [=MMOs=] with heavy chat traffic, it's not unusual to see people spamming, complaining, or otherwise being annoying. However, alerting that player that they are now on an Ignore list or are being reported to [=GMs=] gets you the treatment of a tattle-taler in preschool. The litany tends to go "Reported!" "Reported for reporting!" "Reported for reporting a report!" until people get sick of the joke.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]
* In one ''Webcomic/TheHeroOfThreeFaces'' strip, the [[WebAnimation/ScreamOfTheShalka Shalka]]-Doctor rants to the Master that the people of 21st century Earth are always complaining about things. When asked why he doesn't bring it up with the people themselves he says "Because then I'll be one of them!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRugratsMovie'', Tommy and his friends are all complaining about Dil complaining about not getting his way throughout the film.
* In a ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' FlashbackTwist, a slave on a ship heading for America keeps whining to the captain, "Are we there yet?"
-->'''Captain:''' Damn it! I swear to God I will turn this ship around.\\
'''Slaves:''' [[BriarPatching That works. Okay. That'll teach us a lesson. Yeah, that's even better.]]\\
'''Captain:''' All right, if that's what you... waaait a minute!
* In the ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E19ADogAndPonyShow A Dog and Pony Show]]", the antagonistic Diamond Dogs complain about Rarity's "whining" over labour conditions. Her response:
-->''Whining? I am ''not'' whining. I am ''complaining.'' [[TemptingFate Do you want to hear whining?]] '''[[CuteButCacophonic THIIIS IS WHIIIINIIIING!]]'''''
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/negative_1.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes ...Hey!!!]]]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Real Life:
** Global Politics: '[media source, leader, etc.]'s disparaging depictions of [country, organization, etc.] play into the hands of [enemy group].'
** Local politics: 'Instead of proposing real solutions, my opponent has focused his campaign on spreading false statements.'
** National politics: 'X is not going to run a negative campaign like Y does.'
** Parenting: [Children complain] => 'I'm going to stop this car right now if you two can't get along!'
** TV Tropes: 'This trope is just Administrivia/ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontLike.'
*** ComplainingAboutPeopleNotLikingTheShow
*** "It Just Bugs Me" was changed to [[Headscratchers/HomePage Headscratchers]] mainly due to complaints about people complaining instead of asking questions about the show.
* Everyone who lives in Britain does this. We complain about the queues, queue up to complain about X; and then complain about having to queue to complain about X, why do we have to queue? All this queueing just to complain about X is simply horrendous! We should complain about this.
* The "[[AppealToWorseProblems You're not allowed to complain about X because these people have it worse]]" card.
* The (no longer extant) [[{{Headscratchers/Headscratchers}} Just Bugs Me]] page about "School" had someone coming up with reasons to dislike school (which may or may not apply to them), in which someone responds by complaining that they're just complaining for the heck of it. Without, of course, knowing how much of a problem it was. (As if they went to a perfect school.) It used to be much messier, complete with an OverusedRunningGag about "Learn to box" and "You'll get expelled for that".
* There's the various {{Unpleasable Fanbase}}s -- you know who they are -- which have a fair number of level-headed, open minded fans. After a while, these level-headed fans will finally get worn down about the seeming unending pessimism within the fanbase and make a comment about it. Which of course leads to flame wars--often between the offending complainers and the blind fanboys rather than the original poster--which lasts long after the original poster just gives up. This is one of the many, many reasons these fans tend to be embarrassed to admit being fans.
* Inverted occasionally in the case of someone who doesn't complain about a thing which everyone is complaining about and is then called delusional or a sheep or immature/uncritical thinker or fan-boy/girl/human for liking the show/book/artist/fanfic, for just enjoying the output, for being chilled about what they like. Complaining about not-complaining.
* In the US legal system, there exists a term called "vexatious litigant". This applies when somebody keeps filing suits over [[FrivolousLawsuit frivolous complaints]] until there are so many complaints about his frivolous suit that a judge formally tells him to cut it out.
[[/folder]]

* There's the various {{Unpleasable Fanbase}}s -- [[Administrivia/RuleOfcautiousEditingJudgment you know who they are, no need to get into specifics]] -- which have a fair number of level-headed, open minded fans. After a while, these level-headed fans will finally get worn down about the seeming unending pessimism within the fanbase and make a comment about it. Which of course leads to flame wars--often between the offending complainers and the blind fanboys rather than the original poster--which lasts long after the original poster just gives up. This is one of the many, many reasons these fans tend to be embarrassed to admit being fans.

* Series/{{Community}} often points out the group's dysfunction:

Complaining about complaining is an interesting phenomeon of one group become fed up with the complaints of another group and thus begin to gripe about the latter griping. While it tends to be used mainly for humorus purposes because of the cycle, it may also show the cycle that comes with it while also showing how the characters react in certain situations. Everyone has limits to what they can tolerate and hearing someone complain about something so long can cause them to complain.

This of course can be played more seriously if the complaints are legitimately something the audience and or most characters would be concerned about and only to be shut down by the other party could show the declining relations or growing apathy.

This of course can be played more seruously if the complaints are legitiately something the audience and or most characters would be concerned about and only to be shut down by the other party could show the declining relations or growing apathy.

* Then there's the various [[UnpleasableFanbase Unpleasable Fanbases]]--you know who they are by now--which does in fact have a fair number of level headed, open minded fans. After a while, these level headed fans will finally get worn down about the seeming unending pessimism within the fanbase and make a comment about it. Which of course leads to flame wars--often between the offending complainers and the blind fanboys rather than the original poster--which lasts long after the original poster just gives up. This is one of the many, many reasons these fans tend to be embarrassed to admit being fans.

** Course many of 'em are pretty much joking around anyways so it's hard to say who legitimately reports people for spamming to a GM.

* The (no longer extant) JustBugsMe page about "School" had someone coming up with reasons to dislike school (which may or may not apply to them), in which someone responds by complaining that they're just complaining for the heck of it. Without, of course, knowing how much of a problem it was. (As if they went to a perfect school.) It used to be much messier, complete with an OverusedRunningGag about "Learn to box" and "You'll get expelled for that".

This trope includes all instances of complaints related to complaints.

-->-- ''Sims Big Brother 5''.

* Subverted occasionally in the case of someone who doesn't complain about a thing which everyone is complaining about and is then called delusional or a sheep or immature/uncritical thinker or fan-boy/girl/human for liking the show/book/artist/fanfic, for just enjoying the output, for being chilled about what they like. Complaining about not-complaining.