Complaining: A Very British Art

Did you vote in the elections two weeks ago? Horror, apathy, fatalism and despair are all emotions I’ve come across since the results were published, from many different people from various walks of life. Everybody sees politics slightly differently, but nobody ever seems to be particularly happy about the outcome.

Interestingly, not a lot changes. This week I’ve been browsing through the Mass Observation archives for the mid-1950s, and found many occurrences of the classic gloom-ridden pessimism we know and love here in Britain. Amusing snippets include: “To hell with all politicians!”, “I have no interest at all – completely disillusioned,” and “Liberal parties locally seem to attract cranks and oddities and I wouldn’t be seen dead with them.” Sounds like the last conversation I overheard down the pub.

There’s something oddly comforting about the fact that even in the post-war days of ‘You’ve Never Had It So Good’, British folk still found something to grouse about. Bureaucracy, the evils of television, the price of sausages...

One particular entry caught my eye, from August 1958, when London bus drivers went on strike for seven weeks to protest against pay cuts. Knowing the effect today of airline/teacher/postal service strikes on the average man in the street (the air positively turned blue on Twitter when the recent Tube strikes were on) I had a feeling the London bus situation would probably prompt some strongly worded remarks. This particular Mass Observation diarist is usually very placid and easy going, but the strikes have clearly touched a nerve, even though she lives in the north and isn’t directly affected. One can only imagine what Londoners had to say!

More complaints, protests and bellyaches can be found in Mass Observation Online.