Criticism is tough to take and in some situations difficult to make, but people must have been doing so since at least the 1670’s when the word first appeared. Originally criticism was the art of estimating literary worth, today however everyone and everything can give and receive criticism.
To even write about it is awkward. I know I am quick to criticize and poor at accepting criticism. I imagine I am not alone and that many people deal with criticism similarly. But when did criticism become so bad, frowned upon, a social taboo?
Criticism is an essential ingredient of a healthy, progressive society, it can allow us to address problems that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. Criticism forms a necessary element of debate, without it we would struggle to communicate or come to any meaningful conclusions. The criticism I refer to here is constructive criticism and will be encouraged within any progressive organization. In many dysfunctional organizations constructive criticism gets labelled as complaining and is resented by authority. This resentment to constructive criticism is then resented by those who made the constructive criticism and leads to what Cockwench (1978) called “The downward spiral of resentment and despair”.
Unfortunately criticism is all too often confused as being an insult for two reasons; firstly the person making the criticism is actually being insulting, or secondly the person receiving the criticism is too insecure and is left feeling insulted. The first situation is an example of rudeness and can be of a benefit to no one, the second is an example of someone who can not develop as they can not accept their weaknesses. Unfortunately it is these two scenarios that have given criticism a bad name. I do both of these things and therefore I am confusing criticism. Often my criticism is just veiled rudeness which won’t be well received by the focus of my attention and is unlikely to encourage the change I desire.
Postmodern society has seen humor shift away from the use of irony to the use of sarcasm. Today it is easy to appear humorous by ranting and sarcastically criticizing something. Shows like South Park have been doing this for 20 years, disrespectfully and sarcastically highlighting the faults of an individual, situation or institution (I love South Park). As a result of this mentality, few people in postmodern society have respect for authority, and whilst in may cases that can be warranted, it has made constructive criticism nigh on extinct.
I am afraid that constructive criticism will not be seen again in my life time, I and others have confused criticism too much, instead it has been replaced by non sequitur, sarcastic comments. Talking of driving, in Thailand the driving is so good, that you never see a learner driver.
I finish with a criticism made by the man who perhaps best symbolizes our modern society:
“It was like orderin a hamburger and getting only the buns”
Who made this comment? Clue he was recently beatified by the Vatican in recognition of his efforts to molest children.
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