Why Complain?

This article, which champions complaining, consists of three parts. The first section defines and justifies the concept of complaint. Complaining, as opposed to protesting, encourages action even from those who are vulnerable and helps complainers see their adversaries as complex human beings rather than as inhuman creatures. The second section of the article offers, by way of example, a data‐based complaint about the bifurcation of well‐being in America over the last 20 years. The final section speculates about four ways to keep complaints healthy and effective: remembering that our complaints are only a first step toward action; that our complaints are not unique; that our complaints need not, and indeed, probably cannot, be solved by ourselves alone; and that our complaints are but one part of our lives.