Is grumbling a Polish attribute?

A joke from my school years:

A boy comes to his father telling about his notes at school.

- Daddy, daddy, I've got "C"!
- Why not "B", my son?
- Daddy, daddy, I've got "A"!
- Why not "A+", my son?

That father only seemingly tried to encourage his child to study harder and get better grades. In fact he was dissatisfied with the good notes the kid received and he didn't mean the education at all. The joke above quite truly describes Poles and their national flaw - grumbling. It is obvious for a stranger that especially older generation cannot be pleased whatever the situation is.

Let's consider winter, beautiful Polish winter with plenty of snow, starry nights, skiing, sleighing, skating. I do understand people who have no place to go, who freeze because of not working heating and so on. They are perfectly right to complain. But grumbling just for grumbling that there is snow, the wind blows, it's cold or the streets are slippery, when it's so natural in winter, is quite annoying and makes you think Poles are really displeased with everything. Luckily there are some who consider winter as yet another chance to take fun. They use to bath and swim in freezing cold lakes and sea. We call them "morsy" - the walruses.

Continuing the topic of weather there is spring after winter. Spring means of course melting snow and heavy rains, which is the next reason to complain. Poor people have to wear raincoats and umbrellas and everything is wet and gray...how could we smile? But when someone smiles at you in the bus it's like if sun shines! Sellers are chatting as usual and from time to time we can feel as if the rain wasn't that bad. After the rainy spring comes hot and sunny summer and gives yet another reason to complain. Suddenly it's too hot! You can be burnt by the sun, you sweat all the time and when you need a drink there is no place in the garden restaurants. What a life! Fall again means rain and cold wind and days are becoming shorter... Why not complain?

But the weather is kind of a substitute when we don't complain about something else. Like the government. This is a never-ending story. First we grumble that we cannot make a choice because every politician is corrupted or will be as soon as she/he gains the power. Then there is a big problem with going to the polling station. The result naturally is not what we would expect. But that gives us an opportunity to quote that we have the worst government that have ever existed on this planet. From a certain point of view it is a reason to be proud. Those who complain most are usually the people who didn't vote at all. They think, that their vote is so insignificant that it's not worth troubling themselves to go to the elections. This is our attribute: we are proud but have no self-confidence. Only young people are able to think that even one person can change the course of the future.

Gentlemen don't talk about money. But in Poland they do. At least the so - called "new money" do. Driving the newest models of expensive cars, spending vacations abroad and swanking as hard as they can. And of course they are those who constantly complain about being penniless. No comments.

Sometimes we could think that complaining is sort of fashion in Poland. That you are "trendy" when you are not pleased with your life and surroundings. Or that it is a Polish attribute to make a big problem from a very small thing. Maybe it is so. Maybe we mix an incredible pride and a deep humbleness that don’t allow us to appreciate small joys of everyday life.

At least we learned one thing: when someone asks us how we are doing, we answer: "Fine, thank you...".

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Written by Urszula

Yep, some Polish people (being among their own Polish group at least) like to complain... However, when talking to foreigners they don't complain at all. So I guess it's sort of cultural thing that is understandable only by a native Pole.

Grumbling, complaining, low self-esteem... all are so common in our old fashined part of the nation. I was always wondering what the heck was wrong with all those people. My mother is the same way, although she's the sweetest person, she is never satisfied or happy. Even when things are going well, she'll complain! How sick.
This is what I dislike most about some Polish people. I know other nationalities in which people are poor and uneducated but they are still relaxed and happy - it makes such a big difference and so much more pleasure in interacting with them.

... but younger generation aren't like that, are they? I think our mothers or grandmothers like to grumble sometimes, but young people don't find it a pleasure at all .

Well, I hope you're right! Although the letters I get from my Polish friends are much more winey then the ones from my American/British/Swedish/Turkish...etc. friends. It is the most interesting thing, and those people are not some unsuccessful losers - quite the opposite, and they still like to complain about their lifes. But you're right, even when they do, it's completely different then what our mothers used to do.