Complaints Culture

We have been hearing a lot about complaining lately, Joe has done a nice post on his blog mainly directed at the Daily Wail and its constant complaining about the BBC and Jonathan Ross to be specific, trying to get middle England complaining about "nowtrageous issues". To be honest the whole issue has been done to death so I don't think I can add anything new to the whole issue. I would however like to bring up the issue of sanity. Some people shouldn't be allowed to complain, maybe there should be some sort of test (like your driving theory!) before you can register your complaint. This will hopefully cut out some of the nutters that write and ring in to complain about absolutely stupid issues. Now I'm not saying everyone that complains is a nutter or that issues such as the "Sachsgate" issue aren't worth complaining about but the facts about ridiculous complaints/enquiries are everywhere. Take for example the issue of 999 calls. Every year some police force in the country releases ridiculous 999 calls made about issues such as (Avon and Somerset) grey squirrels having no hazelnuts in its tree, asking what year the Internet started for a college essay and people ringing in to complain their other half has gone out without leaving any food in the house. Greater Manchester has a women ringing in to complain she cant get through to vote for strictly come dancing, a man complaining staff at a take out had wrongly put mushrooms on his pizza and a priest calling 999 when staff at Manchester Airport WHSmith wouldn't let him use their toilets. I suspect that a lot of these idiots are the same ones ringing up to complain about things that have offended them on T.V. I think T.V channels should also release complaints to the public just to show how ridiculous they can be. I know they get many ridiculous complaints as a good friend of mine works at a TV channel, they often share with me some of the ridiculous complaints they get such as people ringing the police with the registration of cars used to commit crimes that happen in soaps, people moaning about certain shows using their alleged 2 Oscars and 3 Baftas as a point authority on the subject and people complaining about the amount of Asian people on a certain soap. Why not take on board Charlie Brooker's comments in where every complaint can be erased with a counter complaint, whatever way I think its time to weed out the maniacs!

Advertising has also seen it fair share of complaints recently that are just stupid, Oasis Cactus Kid was banned because people said it was encouraging teenage pregnancy (i'd rather complain it was encouraging drinking a highly sugary drink over water if anything), Heinz pulled its Deli Mayo male kiss advert after around 200 outraged viewers complained that it was "offensive" and that it inappropriately raised the "difficult subject of same sex relationships" the ad was pulled by Heinz which inturn caused more complaints from gay rights groups and lead to said groups boycotting Heinz products and the brilliant Polo dog was banned for cruelty to animals because the dog was shaking. However the one that really makes my blood boil is THINK! wear a seatbelt campaign that is banned before 9pm due to its graphic content. Ok it is a bit graphic but its the truth! I'd rather see it in on a computer generated advert than in real life, anything to get the message across is good by me and why not show it before 9, I say show kids the effects of what might happen by not wearing a seatbelt it might actually have an effect! Oh and speaking of THINK! campaigns the awareness test has to be one of the best around!

God that was a long rant, or was it a complaint against complaints? (and dont complain that I just used the word God!)