I feel that I generally complain way too often, but I also get annoyed at others who incessantly complain. Double standards, eh? Why is it that I feel that my complaining is on a different level than some of the other people that I interact with?
To be honest, when I complain I don’t expect any sympathy from my audience or any feedback or, most of the time, for them to even listen! Others seem to complain for the sole purpose of gaining attention, and that is maddening! I can understand needing some extra observation from your friends, every now and then, but it’s ridiculous if you’re expecting me to be genuinely concerned 365 ¼ days a year about your problems.
There has to be some give and take in the complaining process. [Yes, it really is a process, a bonding one at that.] I feel like these endless complainers are stuck in a victimized viewpoint. They spend hours upon hours whining about an issue but never take steps to remedy it.
Also, putting my complaining on a different level of others is natural. It’s why everyone assumes that they are important to the world; that they matter, when, honestly, no one really does. It’s not even a negative statement, it just is.
I hope you dream about dancing citrus!
Ashley Kirtman 
We complain because it makes us feel better about ourselves, and our friends agree because otherwise we would say they “don’t care” and stop being friends with them.
http://bwencke.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/peoples-capacity-to-hurt-one-another/
I agree. Complaining is a form of expression. I would even go as far as saying that complaining is healthy.
Also, I would like to amend a small detail. I said up above that my friends needn’t act on this complaining and that I don’t really expect them to. I would like to add that this is generally true, unless it’s math. If I’m complaining to you about my homework I probably am trying to solicit an explanation on how to complete it. >.<
You bring up an interesting question, though. Have I ever stopped being friends with someone due to their lack of receptivity of my whininess? I may have, but I feel like I would attribute it to a different cause. Not being someone's friend for this reason would sound too harsh to me, so I think that I would have to better justify it.
Thanks for the comment and the link to your article!