On Criticism

Nobody wants to criticize. Socially intelligent people avoid making criticisms because they know from experience that doing so is the easiest way to earn disfavor. It is a fact confirmed by social psychology: we tend to like people who agree with us in everything more than those who differ, even if slightly. In our unconscious, criticism is taken as an affront, leading us to reject those who criticize us. Yet, what would the world be without it? Science, philosophy, and even politics would be unthinkable. As painful as it may be, criticism serves an important function: it drives change and, sometimes, progress. Nevertheless, critics are often condemned for the reasons mentioned above. A significant step was taken the day someone curbed their natural tendency toward confrontation and self-defense and calmly considered the criticisms made against them. And it was a great act of nobility the day a criticism was made not to discredit or destroy but to highlight flaws and motivate improvement.

We often distinguish between destructive and constructive criticism. To differentiate between the two, we rely on contextual clues. The timing of the criticism, the audience, the words used, the tone, gestures, etc., are some of these clues. Of course, we also consider the degree of objectivity, that is, how much the criticism aligns with reality. Given the number of factors involved in recognizing well-intentioned criticism, making one that is effective yet does not hurt another's self-esteem or feelings is often a challenge. It is also a challenge to recognize constructive intent in a person who, when offering criticism, is not particularly skilled at managing contextual cues. In academia, a bit of everything is mixed, but it is always aimed at ensuring that objectivity outweighs contextual clues. For this reason, written criticism is often preferred over oral debate, as passions tend to flare up in the latter, causing the pursuit of greater understanding or clarity to be completely forgotten. This is not the case in politics, the workplace, neighborhoods, or homes. There, criticism is often aimed at damaging someone's image or hurting their self-esteem. There is no intention of promoting positive change in the other person; it is simply a battle where the loser is the one left publicly humiliated or emotionally wounded. And yet, criticism is important: whether to grow, attack, or defend.

Considered on its own, criticism is neither good nor bad, neither constructive nor destructive. It can be true or false, fair or unfair, reasonable or not. It is the intention behind it and how we interpret it that makes it destructive or constructive. In any case, following certain guidelines can reduce the chances of it being taken negatively. Good or bad, criticism has its place in the world. Neither condemning nor marginalizing it: use it wisely for the various purposes we assign it, and if we are criticized, learn to identify not only the intentions but also the degree of objectivity, so we can take advantage of it if appropriate and respond accordingly to each situation.