Subject #12: On criticism

Being critical is in itself very needful quality. One must be very critical in order to create that rebellous spirit which makes one impugn everything. That spirit must exist so that one starts asking ”why?” and ”what is?” questions. These questions lead us seeing through masks, formulas and illusions. All spiritual characters through history have been highly rebellious and therefore society has seen them as a danger.

However, that criticism should be targeted into world of oneself, not against another. Being critical about someone else simply leads nowhere. The one who criticizes the other fails to accept the other as he/she is and the one who is being criticized usually takes (lets ego take) criticism badly. Franklin P. Jones gave the following humorous quote about it:

Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger.

One criticizes the other when one wants other to change in some way. That some way is the way how one’s ego wants it. Change does not happen that way as only oneself can make the change and even that can be difficult. Still, people keep hoping for the change of other and keep saying (criticizing) about it. This goes on for years and disappointed critic keeps wondering why there’s no change after so much of criticism. Almost everyone is in that circle, either being critic or criticized – most often both.

About facing criticism, John Wooden put it this way:

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.

I would prefer to modify it and say it like this:

If one lets praise or criticism affect, it will be a victory of ego and loss of oneself.