Do you ever whine? Chiding turns to complaining, and morphs into whining before you know it. I feel completely qualified to talk about whining since this month marks my 40th year of teaching students in American higher education. Believe me, I know whining when I hear it. And, as a university professor for 40 years, I can whine with the best of them. One dictionary nails it by defining whining as â??to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way.â? Been there; done that.
In â??Stop Global Whining,â? Jeffrey Holland writes: â??No misfortune is so bad that whining wonâ??t make it worse.â? And lest we think whining is unique to our times, consider 17th-century preacher/poet John Donneâ??s lament: â??I am two fools, I know, for loving, and for saying so in whining poetry.â? Are we there yet? If not, then ponder Maya Angelouâ??s word that, â??Whining is not only graceless, but it can be dangerous.â?
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