On ComplainingHow to grumble with grace.

On ComplainingHow to grumble with grace.

  • Words Ben Shattuck
  • Photograph Rala Choi for Gentle Monster

The word “complain” comes from the medieval Latin complangere, “to bewail.” And that’s exactly how it sometimes feels. When the music is too loud in a restaurant, or a colleague keeps sneezing without covering his mouth, the urge is to howl out the injustice. And yet, so often we can’t—social norms dictate that it would be too rude or aggressive to speak up. So we let the shrill guitar solo screech over the dinner date, or watch a cloud of virus-laden spittle swirl from a co-worker’s lips. Why can’t we bewail offenses freely?

Complaining is as old as time, and the modern, professional sort—the lawsuits Americans specialize in—is nearly medieval: The origin of nuisance laws can be traced to a case in the English countryside in 1610, when a man named William Aldred ...

The full version of this story is only available for subscribers

Want to enjoy full access? Subscribe Now

Subscribe Discover unlimited access to Kinfolk

  • Four print issues of Kinfolk magazine per year, delivered to your door, with twelve-months’ access to the entire Kinfolk.com archive and all web exclusives.

  • Receive twelve-months of all access to the entire Kinfolk.com archive and all web exclusives.

Learn More

Already a Subscriber? Login

Your cart is empty

Your Cart (0)