Critic146;s award

Most people get upset when criticised. Perhaps this is a human trait. We seem to pick up this habit fairly early in life. As babies, we reje...

Most people get upset when criticised. Perhaps this is a human trait. We seem to pick up this habit fairly early in life. As babies, we reject food without assigning any reason or we hate the idea of bathing and cry in protest. As we grow older, we learn to criticise our teachers and friends. Once we pass into adolescence, we are ready to criticise our parents and those older to us. To indulge in criticism is an intrinsic part of life.

I have often wondered why this is so. Perhaps we disapprove of someone8217;s behaviour, not because he/she is at fault but because that fault is different from our own. We also tend to criticise without having full knowledge of the facts. Our criticism covers a wide range of activities. We can be critical of the way someone dresses or talks; or for the type of friends she/he cultivates. Any activity of a person could attract criticism: from the choice of a spouse to the location of the honeymoon.

Often, criticism is an indirect way of self-promotion, done with the intention to put the other down. However, in the purest sense, criticism is actually the art of judging a person, a book, a play or a film by someone skilled in the subject. This judgment is supposed to be objective for the sake of credibility. Hence, it is quite possible that the criticism could turn out to be negative. But this is professional criticism. What we indulge in generally, is mostly subjective.

We need strong ears to hear ourselves criticised. We should develop the ability to examine it carefully and, if there is truth in it, take corrective steps. Sometimes criticism can be a remarkable act of friendship. 8220;He has a right to criticise, who has a heart to help,8221; said Lincoln. Criticism should be like rain 8212; gentle enough to nourish, without destroying the roots.

There is always the right way to criticise. Sometimes it can be done gracefully. An after-dinner speaker once stopped in the middle of his speech, and remarked to his host, 8220;It seems everybody here has a bad cough!8221; I was close enough to hear the host8217;s response, 8220;Those are not coughs, they are 8216;time-up8217; signals.8221; Now that8217;s what I call artful criticism!