My God, Froma. You really are that stupid.
First of all, the ranks of the esteemed "whiners" in this country have found far more to complain about than rising oil prices, as the current shortage of jobs affords more than enough levereage in this area. (And don't confuse yourself with the official unemployment "statistics" which merely pertain to individuals receiving unemployment benefits and offers no indication of the vast amounts of those whose benefits have elapsed due to chronic unemployment). Alas, go figure that the entire essence of your pathetic argument hinders upon irrelevant comparisons of worldwide and historical miseries, culminating in age old "starving kids in Africa" diversion. I suppose if unemployment peaks 57 percent and the transportationa and economic units of the entire country collapse, one could just as easily find cause to reprimand the less enthusiastic remnants of 'society' as a conglomerate of 'whiners" on account of the fact that that people during the 'dark ages" had to contend with far more dire circumstances.
And furthermore, utilizing your status as a syndicated columnist to voice more than a few or yuor greivances, pandering numerous examples indicating dissatisfaction with personal, national, political, or global circumstanecs, indicates that you're hardly immune to the art of 'whining" yourself. If I remember correctly, it was your persistent whining about the lack of fairness pertinent to Hillary Clinton's inability to secure the democratic nomination that pushed you into the pro-McCain crowd.
Try loosing your job, and contending with a prospective shortage of elgigible positionins for political commentators (particularly for ones as incompetent as yourself), and you'll quickly find yourself "degenerating" into the ranks of us so-called "whiners", and furthermore find yourself scoffing at the apathetic onlooker who encourages you to "lighten up" over your economic prospects, consdering that "people in Haiti have it a lot worse."
in any case, you know where you can stick your theories about "whining".

You got it right, Froma!
The polar opposite of whining is grit-and-determination. Whining prospers in an environment of entitlement, "excess prosperity" and ease while G-&-D thrives in hardship and adversity. Has anyone ever become smarter, faster, more able, more fit, a better competitor, a person of higher moral calibre in a culture where entertainment magazines are more popular than publications that challenge intellect and expand outlook? I think not.
Every generation faces major challenges; every generation's challenges are different, at least on the surface. The challenge of the challenge is to overcome with the result being a person or culture with strength of body, mind and character. This present culture's response is to whine about having to extend oneself, to have to stretch, to not have it handed to you on a plate.
Indian and Chinese parents are on their kids' cases to study math and science, the hard stuff. The USA isn't graduating enough engineers to replace those who are about to retire during the next 5-10 years. Indian and Chinese parents demand excellence from their kids. American parents are happy when their kids attend classes, don't get in trouble and participate in activities where "everyone wins!". Has the USA sown the seeds to become a Third World country without knowing it? A definite "Maybe."
My reaction? Grow UP- quit your complaining and get to real work!