Main Street January 24, 2024 The Kankakee Daily Journal by Dr. Don Daake
I’ll admit it. I sometimes enjoy complaining and even whining about the weather, the economy, and our politicians. But in my defense, some discontent with the things that are not going well is okay if it leads to changing and improving a situation.
One of the things I most looked forward to in moving back to Iowa was participating in the first in the nation caucuses. I had the chance to see former President Donald Trump, Ambassador Niki Haley, and Governor Ron DeSantis in person. Somewhat surprising to me was at the in-person face-to face meetings the ratio of positive “What I would do” compared to complaining about the other candidates, I estimate it was positive 3 to 1. But in the televised advertising campaigns, from all candidates, they were ruthless. As interesting as they were, I’m happy the Iowa caucuses are done and the commercials have ended.
Ever since I can remember, when voters are asked, they will say they would much rather hear a positive vision for the future rather than attacks on other candidates. It is paradoxical, then, why ads are so negative. Negative messages work better than a positive campaign, regardless of what voters say. Going back to my original point, I don’t think I’m the only one who can easily fall into discontent. Much modern-day advertising first makes the case why you should be miserable, unhappy, or plagued by your troubles. Then, the advertisers say how their product and service will again put you in a happy land. Over pessimistic messages can fill our days and can affect our attitudes.
The other morning, I was reading a short devotional in “Our Daily Bread.” The piece by Adam Holz relates his personal experience. He writes, “Arrgh! I yelled as the repair truck cut in front of me. That’s when I saw the message: ‘How’s My Driving?’ and a phone number. I picked up my phone and dialed. A woman asked why I was calling, and I vented my frustration. She took down the truck’s number. She said wearily, ‘You know, you always can call to report someone who’s driving nicely.’” He goes on to write, “Ouch. Her tired words punctured my smug self-righteousness. Embarrassment flooded me. In my zeal for ‘justice,’ I hadn’t paused to consider how my rage-filled tone could affect this woman in her difficult job.”
Of course, the point is not that we need to endure bad driving, lousy service, and defective products. Quite the contrary. Instead, it is how we do it and perhaps creating some ratio of maybe 3 to 1 or even 5 to 1 where we thank those who do their job to those who don’t. During the last three weeks in Cedar Rapids, we have had over 22 inches of snow, life-threatening wind chills, and dangerous driving conditions. I know Northeast Illinois has had many of the same challenges. I don’t try to complain too much because when we retired, we had the choice to move back to Florida or Iowa. We made the right choice for us. It also makes me reflect on just how good we have got it.
A few weeks ago, during an especially treacherous weather day, my wife went into a large retailer to shop and thanked some of the workers for re-stocking shelves. After their shocked looks wore off, they told her, “No one has ever thanked us for coming to work.”
In the 1950s and 1960s, when many of us were growing up, there were no snow blowers, and many houses and businesses were still heated with coal. You might remember some of those January days when the smoke was so thick, and the air that was suffocating smog smelled really badly. Most families, at best, had a single-car with a single-car garage.
Today, we are able to click a switch, and our gas or electric heat comes on. Public works, by and large, do a great job clearing the roads. Despite the weather, mail still arrives. (Incidentally, thank goodness, to those who prevail in their mail-carrying jobs. In a conversation with a long-term postal employee the other day, she told me the “quit rate” on new mail care hires is 48 %.) Grocery stores sell thousands of items from around the world. We have 24-hour ATMs, rather than the old “banker’s” hours of 9 to 3 M-F and even online banking. We have access to hundreds of TV channels rather than when we were young, only 3-4 sometimes fuzzy stations. Air travel has been made possible for the average American rather than just the rich. Millions of flights take off and land each year, and in many years there are no fatal accidents.
We cannot deny even with all our wealth and prosperity, there are still people who need our help. Nevertheless, most of us have it very good. In the end, anyone who gets up and goes to work makes our modern life possible. As economist Adam Smith put it almost 250 years ago, when we act in our interests, we inadvertently serve others. According to Investopedia, “The term ‘invisible hand’ first appeared in Adam Smith’s famous work, The Wealth of Nations, to describe how free markets can incentivize individuals, acting in their own self-interest, to produce what is societally necessary.”
But also taking the time to simply thank those who serve us, not only serves our best interest, but theirs as well.
So, sure, go ahead and complain once in a while as I do (best done mumbling to yourself rather than yelling at others.) But as Dale Carnegie once said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain-and most fools do.” After allowing yourself to be foolish and feel better, do the right thing and thank those around you, including yourself! Thanksgiving in January is a good thing.
Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus at Olivet. While at Olivet, Don taught courses in marketing, advertising, entrepreneurship, statistics, and business strategy. He has worked with business, education, and non-profits for over 50 years.
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