You’d think we could make [a little bit of] an effort to be kinder, less harsh and critical. You’d think we could endeavor [just a tad] to be more encouraging—not just of friends and families, but those unfamiliar to us.
I belong to various writing/publishing groups and enjoy most posts I read: they offer advice, support, accomplishments, projects, struggles, challenges, updates, input, or greetings. I learn a few things and “meet” new people, fellow writers and/or editors. It’s all good, as the saying goes.
For the most part, people who follow or visit those groups are pleasant, happy to share stories and/or pat one another on the back. It’s three-bears-porridge heartwarming. Then, the odd time, you come across someone who believes they are gifted and talented, so much so they have no qualms about blasting others for how they write or scoffing about viewpoints they hold. I came across one of those quite recently and, I suppose, it prompted me to post this.
Criticism—slating—isn’t productive. I believe we all know that. Yet some people have no compunction about disparaging others. They don’t seem to recognize the negative impact (or maybe they do, which would make it all the sadder) their “opinion” creates; they don’t realize (or wish to acknowledge perhaps) that they’re being critical. They’re merely expressing a view, providing a comment.
Any posts that censure or belittle someone are far from views or comments; they’re outright criticisms.
No one’s perfect, save maybe the critic who believes he/she is multi-talented/skilled; he/she is as close to excellent as anyone can get (and how blessed are you?). Accepting one another for who and what we are—faults and flaws and all—seems too utopian to be doable. But wouldn’t it be nice . . . ?
The point of this post? Not a lot, to be honest. I’ve no mind to detail the psychological and related reasons behind criticism (can you spell y-a-w-n?). There’s no desire to provide steps to becoming less critical. You can always research it on-line if you’re so inclined. I’m only . . . humbly . . . expressing a view. 😉
Maybe I’ll just end with a well-known, often-used phrase: if you’ve got nothing good to say, don’t say it.
The Writer's Grab-Bag 