Author: Matilde Moon

Hello, you have called Complaint! hotline’s answering machine.
We have run out of answers and all operators are currently busy.
But feel free to leave your message after a short signal.
Rely on artificial
Intelligence sensitivity
No one will stop you
Don’t laugh, don’t cry
And don’t drop the handset
If you want to speak
Press the key number one
If you use uncensored vocabulary
Key number two
If you just want to shut up
Press number three
Your pain will be recorded
For quality improvement purposes

In Eastern Europe, people don’t usually complain. Officially.
It means that you are a traitor. Or could be betrayed. You can always resign though.
Resign from your identity. Resign from your home. Your tribe, your status, your life.
Because you show THEM where it hurts. Your vulnerability is your biggest enemy. If you are
taking away someones’ status you might succeed. But THEY will erase you… right after your
complaint will be filed into the void.
And you will be very, very tired.
Shadow of our ancestors’ generation trauma. Post-soviet toxic patriarchy.
THEY are not even pretending to care.

“если ударил, то люби” *
/Russian proverb/

*If they hit you, they love you