Culture of Complaint or Culture of Action? (Opinion) | Balsam al-Judaili

An opinion piece examining the difference between complaint as an expression of pain and a culture of action that transforms suffering into practical steps. The author discusses the danger of complaint turning into an identity and learned helplessness, especially in crisis environments like Gaza, and calls for a balance between acknowledging pain and seeking the next step.

An opinion piece by Dr. Balsam al-Judaili discusses the difference between complaint as a means of expressing pain and a culture of action that transforms suffering into practical steps. The author points out that complaint is not always weakness; it may be psychologically necessary to prevent the accumulation of pain, but the danger begins when complaint turns into an identity and a feeling of learned helplessness. In environments like Gaza, complaint cannot be separated from the harsh reality, but the author calls for moving from the question "Why did this happen?" to "What do we do now?" She emphasizes that small actions such as caring for a child or helping a neighbor may not stop the war but prevent it from stopping a person internally. The article calls for a balance between acknowledging pain and creating solutions, warning that complaint without action drains energy while action without acknowledgment of pain leads to exhaustion.