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Complaining: Toronto's official sport?

kettal

kettal

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via Toronto Star

ALOK MUKHERJEE, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board says:

“I believe that Toronto would be an immeasurably better place to live, work and play if all of us ceased and desisted from constantly complaining.

Torontonians complaining is like one of those interminable afternoon TV serials in which the main story barely changes, even if one skipped watching for an entire year. Whenever I return from an overseas trip, whether after one week or a month, I find no change in one news item: Torontonians complaining.

The bicycle lanes are causing traffic havoc. The cops are making too much money. The politicians are awful. The city is becoming too dangerous. The TTC is useless. The St Clair streetcar renovation was a disaster. The businesses in Bloor West will have a tough time when work begins to improve that area. The unions are coddled too much. The immigrants are treated preferentially. The G20 summit will make life hell for those who live, work or attend school or child care in the vicinity of the summit.

The fact is that Toronto is a pretty fine city. The civic services run well. The public transit system is quite decent. The public schools, the public health department, the social, recreational, parks and library systems work reasonably well. The police keep the city incredibly safe. The city does not overtax residents and businesses.

What is needed is pride that we, collectively, have built a community that shares and cares.

But no. We complain so much that it has become pathological.

Have I complained enough?”
 
I think CBC or CTV should start airing a season drama/comedy based on average T.O.-ers with this Torontomentality. The rest of Canada can't miss this excitement on making Toronto a laughingstock.
 
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Torontonians are sick and tired of being told that we're sick and tired. Seriously, I wish all the whiners would just shut the f**k up and start doing something constructive for a change like picking up the odd piece of sidewalk litter or learning French. Maybe then we'd have a city we could be proud of, instead of this hopelessly uninspired crap-hole we... Oh, never mind.
 
People still complain because the news always tells them to. Everything is wrong according to the media and people will believe anything they see on tv.

However, just in the last 10 years that I've been living downtown I've noticed a lot more people are just doing things instead of complaining. It's slowly changing but I definitely see some up and coming confidence in this city.
 
A topic dear to my heart: thank you. Toronto certainly has problems and issues that need discussion, but on the whole, and by most objective measures, we live in a fine city. Our crime levels are low. Our water is safe to drink, our electricity rarely fails, our snow gets plowed, and our grass gets cut. The cost of living is in fact quite reasonable compared to many countries and cities around the world. Our neighbourhoods are mixed, with every race, religion, sexual preference and income level coexisting with relatively few problems. We can enjoy food from around the world, go see dozens of international music acts on any given night, and we have our choice of a half dozen festivals and free events every summer weekend. Even the traffic and public transit we complain about ceaselessly is actually pretty decent compared to many places.

But many people do not want to hear it. The apocalyptic "Toronto is a shithole" and "everything is getting worse all the time" nonsense seems to be getting out of hand. I blame a combination of the 24 hour media cycle that feeds of sensational headlines, social media like twitter that amplifies even the most trivial complaint, and a general sense that negativity breeds more negativity. Partisan politicking also plays a part, as it seems that many cannot admit when something is good in Toronto for fear of accidentally complimenting an incumbent politician.

It's okay to be critical, but we also need to give credit where credit is due. I propose this: every time we complain about Toronto, we should also mention one good thing about it. Let's bring back some balance to the mix!

Incidentally, I think websites such as this one have some power to change perceptions. While there is lots of complaining on UT I also see lots of positive enthusiasm about the city. We need to harness that and give the positives some more exposure.
 
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Here we are complaining about complaining! I have found it very useful of late to be less judgemental and strive more to think about intent and consequences. Think about some of the character traits we would associate with a theoretical collective conciousness that is Toronto. Instead of saying they are bad or good (judgement) look at their cause and effect. An example is for instance we might think of Torontonians as a little stand-offish or cold relative to some other places. Think of the positive effects of this in terms of psychological space. When we give others space we can afford to be tolerant. I actually believe the very root of tolerance and diversity in Toronto comes from not being warm people. Ironically, people who are the most warm and close to strangers are likely to be the least tolerant and accepting.

So what about complaining? Complaining has positive and negative consequences. Complaining is insecure for one thing. To complain is to be discontent with oneself. A person who is whole and balanced doesn't need to complain about externalities. On the other hand complaining is industrious and a motivational driving force. A person who lives constantly in a world that is problematic or off to them is driven to strive for change. Imagine a city where no one complained and everyone accepted things as they were? I think we have visions of such places, third-world shanty-towns and slums.
 
With the great weather upon us I've been back on my bike cycling through different areas around downtown (where I live) working up my endurance for longer cycling trips yet to come. As always I'm so inspired by what I see in various neighbourhoods as I make my way around. I was at the Royal cinema (a Toronto treasure) in Little Italy with a friend on Friday night to see a movie and as we emerged from the cinema the area was alive, vibrant and happening. I didn't want to leave so we took it all in for a while then walked to my place from there encountering many delights as we made our way back. We get back to my neighbourhood (the Church-Wellesley Village) and the familiar vibe of music and excitement in the air was orgasmic.

I say back to the Toronto threads and let's debate the issues from city planning, transit and crappy architecture. In the meantime take a moment to take in the good things that we've got going on around the city, stop bitching so much and write about what good things you've seen here. If you've got a problem with something pick up the phone, dial 311 and find out who you can call to get something repaired that's annoying you.

Nothing is perfect (i.e. the Island Airport ;)), however we live in one of the world's great cities and one of the world's greatest countries. Despite the city's imperfections let's not lose sight of that.

 
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Maybe it's also that Toronto-style complaining is like Toronto-style tourist shilling, i.e. strangely parochial and witless. As opposed to New Yorkers or El Ay-ers who can laugh at their own mythologically impossible hellholeness...
 
It's true that there is an entire satirical culture that surrounds NY and LA and indeed most American cities to a degree that can make Toronto look strangely humourless in comparison. Cities like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Providence and Cleveland have been able to poke fun of themselves in a way that works almost like a surreal boosterism.
 
The few torontonians i've come across that complain on a daily basis don't actually live in toronto. They're from the suburbs and i refuse to take their criticism as they are usually biased.
However, the past couple of months that i've been looking over the remarks in UT i've realised that complaining is an actual sport for torontonians.
I wonder whether these people have actually lived in other cities.
You really need to be able to laugh at yourself and realise that perfection does not exist. That being said everyone everywhere has some sort of criticism regarding their city.
My point is, Toronto is a wonderful city. Next time you wanna complain take a walk at cabbagetown, go shopping in kensington or queen west, go have a drink on king east, go enjoy a baseball, basketball or soccer game (i purposely left out the leafs), go enjoy one of the many festivals and the variety in the neighbourhoods. Or you can just sit on your ass and scream at the city and the people running it.
 
"My point is, Toronto is a wonderful city. Next time you wanna complain take a walk at cabbagetown, go shopping in kensington or queen west, go have a drink on king east, go enjoy a baseball, basketball or soccer game (i purposely left out the leafs), go enjoy one of the many festivals and the variety in the neighbourhoods. Or you can just sit on your ass and scream at the city and the people running it."

I totally agree, but I would add to your suggestion and take it one step further Thanos. Don't just take in the city become part of it! Don't just enjoy neighbourhoods work to make your neighbourhood a better place. Don't just go to a festival volunteer or create your own event. Don't just spectate a sport get involved. When you do you will be surprised how little there is that stands between you and those who make the decisions. There are very few barriers and they exist mostly in your own mind.
 
The constant and unending complaining and whining seems to be common thread everywhere. It doesn't take long to find forums for other cities where we think the transit is much better than ours, whining about how terrible it is, and how it's the worst city ever for transit.
 
Yah, I blame the Internet. Complaining travels faster and farther on the Internet than positivity. Positive stuff gets the tl;dr, complaints get the angry, typo-filled response.

Almost every day I'm struck by how much I love this city. Then the winter comes, and I wonder why I don't live in Costaguadalamexico.
 
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