The idea of Criticism instead of rejecting it is so common today that we are all guilty of ignoring it and denying its existence or its value. It is the one thing that makes life worth living. There are those who welcome criticism as it helps them improve themselves. So, let us look at Criticism in a different perspective. Let us look at it from the right side.
The one thing that makes life worth living is 'Progress'. And yet most of us are content with 'Progress' as it gives us the freedom to do what we want, to pursue our dreams. Unfortunately, that is absent from Criticism. Instead of accepting that we have made mistakes and are still learning, we immediately try to justify our actions by pointing out the flaws in others. We justify everything and feel fine about it.
Where does this mentality come from? When we were a child, we were bombarded by messages telling us we were little people who should not complain too much. This was part of the psychological conditioning we received as we were being raised by our parents to think that criticism was bad, that it was bad and would bring down the spirits.
This is only one of the many ways we were made to think. The other part was when we were still schooled in the different social rules of our time, rules that required us to behave, think, feel, and even think differently from our peers. In short, we were separated from our natural state, from the way things normally happened in the real world. We were made to think and act differently. In short, we were made to be different.
So, where did all of this go wrong? The message was clearly audible, but most people ignored it. But it still wasn't addressed. So why do we still listen to it today?
I believe it's because we've all been brainwashed by the same thing, and that is negativity. Look around and you'll see this everywhere, including in politics. Just look at some of the far right-wing politicians who've risen to power in recent years. The entire governing platform is built around attacking and criticizing everything about the current government - the media, the scientific community, and basically everyone who's different from them. And this is what Critical Theory looks like.
So, we are being brainwashed with negativity and it has no place in our lives. If we want to learn to express criticism, then we must learn how to critique ourselves. And I'm not just talking about critiquing something someone has said to you. I'm talking about critiquing YOU. You, yourself!
Learning to criticize ourselves will teach us to be critical, without fear of criticism. It will also teach us to be self-aware and watch out for our actions and words. Criticism instead of rejection will help us grow as individuals who value their opinions. And these things are valuable, because opinions are important and they shape our future. If we reject criticism, then we are limiting our growth as individuals, we are giving ourselves a very big gift indeed.
Another example of critical thinking can be seen when someone gives you advice. Have you ever been the victim of bad advice? It could be anything - from a car salesman telling you to buy something that you don't really need, to an Internet guru telling you to buy a product that you know nothing about. In both situations, the victim gives up on making an intelligent decision and makes things even worse than before.
So, instead of accepting the bad advice and thinking "that's just the way it is", why not learn to think "how can I do something right?" If you want to avoid the heartache of getting it wrong, then you have to learn to take criticism positively, rather than seeing it as an attack. It can help you make decisions that will benefit you in the long run. This includes making life-changing decisions like purchasing a new house or car, learning a new skill, or even changing careers.
Don't get me wrong. There are some critics who can really push you over the edge. When you read Michael Gerber's latest book, "Satisfaction," for instance, you'll learn how to turn negative into constructive feedback. Most people don't like receiving criticism, but if you understand what's going on you can probably avoid it. With practice, especially with the "critical thinking" exercises suggested by Rich Presta, you'll be able to turn any criticism into something positive, rather than a loss of face.
All in all, although some critics may be annoying, you can use them to your advantage. If you take criticism positively, it can help you make better decisions and learn new things. Just make sure you don't let yourself get sucked into their tactics. Good luck!
