Criticism

A while back, I wrote a post called “Feeling Critical?” It was a small post, but got me thinking a lot about criticism and how it’s so common now, yet so damaging. Today, I’m pleased to feature an article about Criticism, by Granny Moss. This post is to-the-point…and as such, will hopefully make us all think.

I’m sure we have all been critical and harsh at times in our lives, but we usually feel really bad about our behavior and try to make amends when we hurt others. Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who seem to enjoy hurting others and they will go to any means to cause suffering and even destroy others. They seem to think that others in their lives are of no worth or value, as human beings, but only there to be used and abused and then discarded.

This attitude comes from a deep lack of self-worth and self-respect. Because they lack these in themselves they don’t see the worth in other people and have no respect for another person’s thoughts or efforts. They constantly put people down, criticize and make snide remarks, all in an effort to make others feel as inferior as they feel about themselves.

When I was growing up we were taught to be kind and courteous, no matter who we dealt with. We were taught manners in those days. That was back in the days when women acted like ladies and men acted like gentlemen. We were taught to help others and encourage others in their efforts. All this seems to be lost on today’s society. We have become a nation of slobs. We not only dress like slobs we act like slobs. We have become rude and nasty to other people.

Fault-finding, nit-picking and criticism are habits that we get into because we don’t care about others. We become so wrapped up in our petty ‘me first’ attitude that we forget that we all depend on other people, in one way or another, in this world.

It really doesn’t take all that much effort to be nice; to hold one’s tongue rather than snap at someone, to help another who is having a bad day, to try to work out a problem with someone rather than scream obscenities at them, or show some appreciation toward others and their efforts. No, I’m not perfect at it myself, but I do try, and for the most part, with a lifetime of practice, I manage fairly well.

Let’s try to remember that deep down inside everyone, is enough hurt, pain, and sorrow; enough shame, regret, and unfulfilled dreams, to last a lifetime. Who are we to add to that burden?

We’re pleased to introduce Granny Moss as a featured guest writer on ColeRuddick.com. Granny is a great-grandmother who has traveled the country more than once, seeing & experiencing things that Generation X-er’s never will.

Granny has more life experience than most, and, therefore has developed some solid opinions on a wide variety of subjects. Her straight-forward, no-holds-barred writing style helps to present stories and topics that are hard for some writers to touch. Please follow along with us to see more stories by Granny Moss!