Saturday, August 21, 2010

Criticism and Hypocrisy and Stupidity

Criticism is much more an art than a science. It's also an enterprise fraught with danger, not only to the target but also to the critic. To criticize or even to critique are stronger terms than to comment or to suggest, because the critic assumes he has found the target, either the personage himself (the behavior because we and the behavior are the same. A man is the sum of his behavior) or the efforts (theory, a work) of the personage ineffective, wrong, defective, ridiculous, etc...So the critic takes on the role of superiority. And if he is not sensitive of how to convey disagreement without arousing the ire of the target, he ends up incurring enmity and/or contempt from the target. I find most critics of me and of my words stupid and dumb. I am not sure they come across that way to me because they were born stupid and dumb or because they are not versed enough in the English language to perform their self-appointed task. And I find it childishly easy to demolish their jejune, puerile reasonings. I have the following suggestions for them.

1. First and foremost, spend more time to learn English. Pay special attention to the nuances of meanings of every single word that convey emotions and judgment.
2. Write clearly and simply and politely and gently.
3. Use disclaimers and qualifiers to express a possibility they failed to understand correctly what my intentions and intents were.
4. Absolutely avoid assuming a role of superiority or position of "power" or taking on a tone of reproach and condemnation.

Our words tell the world our nature and the level of our understanding of ourselves and others. When we commit our thoughts in writing, we left a legacy. Be sure it is a good and endearing legacy, not an unflattering one. My decision to use strong words and a tone of disdain to my misguided and stupid critics reflects my contempt of them and I don't care to let them know so. I am who I am. And I hate phonies and fakers. I repeat, when we criticize others we reveal ourselves more than we care to do.

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