A Nation of Whiners

When did the United States become such a nation of whiners?

The biggest whiner of all, of course, is the current occupant of the White House. He is constantly whining that this person or that person is unfair to him, or the news media is unfair, or a court decision is unfair. Or he complains that somebody was 'mean' to him. Without a doubt, he has the best whines, the biggest whines. No president in history has ever had better whines. What is he, four years old?

But public whining seems to have become the national pasttime. Two companies (Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods) have recently started marketing plant-based burgers and sausages. I really like the Beyond Burgers (I haven't had a chance to try the Impossible Burgers yet). I'm not vegan, or even vegetarian, but I do my best to avoid eating meat from any four-footed animal. So I was thrilled when the Beyond Burger hit the market. Sometimes I feel like having a burger, but I have resisted. (Knowing that eating a bunch of beef will give me a stomach ache makes resistance even easier). Now I can cook a Beyond Burger, eat half of one, and not feel guilty ... or sick.

But what do I see in online comments about these revolutionary foods? Comments that they're too expensive. They aren't available in some small town in the US or Canada. Why aren't they available in Luxembourg or Costa Rica? Why isn't there a low-sodium version? A low carb version? A keto version? A kosher version? An oil- or pepper-free version? A gluten-free option? In short, why isn't there something to satisfy the dietary demands of each and every person?

Most ridiculous of all are those who whine that the buns served with the restaurant burgers aren't vegan. The cheese isn't vegan. The burgers are cooked on the same grill used to cook regular beef burgers so they aren't really vegan. The company that produces the plant-based burgers doesn't control the type of buns or cheese served by the restaurants that sell these non-meat foods. Nor does it control how or where they are cooked. But by all means, whine away!

How about people support these companies for coming up with products that are cruelty free and closer in taste, texture and appearance to beef burgers than anything else on the market? And plant-based products are better for the environment, too. I guess it's just easier to whine.

Whining can become a habit, a very unattractive habit, in a short amount of time. We all whine on occasion, but let's try to check ourselves whenever we feel a whine coming on, OK? The world will be a much happier place if we do.

For me, when I read all these whiny comments, I am sorely tempted to respond with "Waah! Waah! Waah!"